


Square Enix Oneshots

by Sakuraaeris1497



Category: Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Anastasia AU, F/M, Gen, Little Mermaid AU, Maleficent AU, Mulan AU, Rise of the Guardians AU, Swan Princess AU, Tangled AU, hercules au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-07-19 04:29:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 62,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19968067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sakuraaeris1497/pseuds/Sakuraaeris1497
Summary: Author’s Note: Greetings, this is Sakuraaeris1497. Ever since 358/2 Days, I have been a fan of Kingdom Hearts and still am to this day now that Kingdom Hearts III finally came out after years of waiting for its release. Because of that, I decided to do a rewrite of the Young Xehanort x Female OC fanfiction I wrote years ago pre-Kingdom Hearts III so it matches up with the new lore that’s been added with the release of remastered Kingdom Hearts games, including Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, and Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 and 2.5 Remix. After a while of planning and rethinking where I wanted this story to go, I now present to you the remastered version for Kingdom Hearts, with you the reader as my female OC. Please enjoy. :)_________________________________Female OC/Reader Physical AppearanceHair: https://i2.wp.com/therighthairstyles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/7-light-brown-and-silver-balayage-hair.jpg?resize=500%2C651&ssl=1Eyes: https://s3.envato.com/files/156989813/hetero%20590_00000.jpg - Imagine a Darker Blue ShadeHooded Jacket & Armored Headband: https://imgc.allpostersimages.com/img/print/u-g-F8VKSP0.jpg?w=550&h=550&p=0





	1. Kingdom Hearts Oneshots: The Master of the Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Greetings, this is Sakuraaeris1497. Ever since 358/2 Days, I have been a fan of Kingdom Hearts and still am to this day now that Kingdom Hearts III finally came out after years of waiting for its release. Because of that, I decided to do a rewrite of the Young Xehanort x Female OC fanfiction I wrote years ago pre-Kingdom Hearts III so it matches up with the new lore that’s been added with the release of remastered Kingdom Hearts games, including Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, and Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 and 2.5 Remix. After a while of planning and rethinking where I wanted this story to go, I now present to you the remastered version for Kingdom Hearts, with you the reader as my female OC. Please enjoy. :)
> 
> _________________________________
> 
> Female OC/Reader Physical Appearance
> 
> Hair: https://i2.wp.com/therighthairstyles.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/7-light-brown-and-silver-balayage-hair.jpg?resize=500%2C651&ssl=1
> 
> Eyes: https://s3.envato.com/files/156989813/hetero%20590_00000.jpg - Imagine a Darker Blue Shade
> 
> Hooded Jacket & Armored Headband: https://imgc.allpostersimages.com/img/print/u-g-F8VKSP0.jpg?w=550&h=550&p=0

“He-Hello?...Master Aoihan?” 

W-Wa...Was that a voice in the bleak abyss of black that surrounded you? 

“Hello?! Master?!” 

Your ears could’ve been deceiving you as they felt stuffy with the heaviness of the dark. It could’ve just been your own imagination. The wind had been knocked out of you in the last fight you participated in as a defender against an offensive strike, and you felt like you were drowning with every suffocating breath that choked your lungs with a burn that pained you with the passion of a thousand white hot burning suns. Plunging down, down, down into the darkness that surrounded you like a blanket of ice, it sent shivers down your spine just thinking of where you were now as you felt unable to breath even one tiny sliver of air. But what could you really do? There was no way out and no hope, not now...No family, no friends, no teachers...Just you, all alone in this abyss of a realm that knew naught of the concept of time nor the comforting presence of warmth or oxygen. 

‘Who are you? What do you want?’ Your mind called out into the abyss only to find a muffled jumble of words that you couldn’t make out given the stuffiness in your ears. 

As you curled into yourself to struggle for one last fight for air, you eventually lost your battle as air bubbles escaped your lips. Dangling in the abyss as if you had drowned, your body floated in and out of consciousness before you heard one last plea for your life in your head. 

“Master Aoihan, wake up, please! Get up and fight for your life!” 

A flash of white filled your heterochromia-induced eyes as a pleasant warmth melted the frigid ice around your body, encasing your heart the most in its comfort as you were pulled back into the light. A sharp inhale in staggered gasps echoed in the air around you while you caught your breath, both eyes fluttering open under the curtain of black lashes that adorned your fair face. Clutching your throat with clawing motions of your sharp nails on your skin as if you were trying to fight some type of heartburn or biting parasite, you began to hack with your heart pounding against your chest enough to bruise it from the inside and your shoulders trembling wildly as your hair flew around your face in wispy whacks across your cheeks and shoulders. Inhaling and exhaling deeply to find the words to speak again, you found you could not speak except in hoarse whimpers as you enunciated each word by hanging on to each and every syllable. Calling out to your savior, you thanked them for helping you in your darkest hour before a gentle tone called you out by name and title again before asking about your wellbeing. Normally, you would’ve accepted this type of sincerity after a traumatic event such as nearly being swallowed by darkness and the creatures of that bottomless abyss, but you were not yet lucid enough to differentiate friend from foe as this realm was infamous for illusions in order to lure and entrap victims forevermore. The phantoms in this realm could easily disguise themselves as your allies before stabbing you right in the back, so hypervigilance decided to guide your actions while your heart still held out hope that whoever called out to you meant no harm. Throwing out blasts of Watera and Thundaga as you turned around to face your opponent, you were shocked to see such a familiar face as the feminine figure used Blizzaga to cease the magic before shattering the frozen solids into the ground like glass. With widened eyes that sparkled, your face contorted into one of relief and melancholy with tight lips biting back tears as you recognized them as a temporary student you had once taught the lesson of how to be light on one’s feet and how to be a more well-rounded fighter when they were younger. With blue hair as a curtain for their shoulders to match eyes of a similar color, compliments to fair skin, pink lips and rosy cheeks adorned the beautiful face. From a tiny child no bigger than a couple feet to a tall and lithe figure, this girl had grown in grace and beauty to be a beautiful young woman that resembled the most gorgeous ballet dancer. Clothing of black, neon blue, and purple with armored boots of dark silver and bluish-silver decorated the woman well to highlight on her best features, especially her curvy figure. 

It seemed the figure recognized you too as they gasped too with pupils dilating, tears sparkling in their eyes too as they spirited their weapon away upon seeing you do so first. It was no wonder they had memories of you as they had seen you a lot in their childhood as they grew up alongside Terra and even Ven. A charcoal gray vest with a platinum and rose gold zipper fit your form with a train of cloth that reached the tops of your boots, the inside lining of the train showing garnet hues. Brown boots with a gold buckle shaped like a Mark of Mastery symbol, suited for riding a horse, adorned your feet as high-waisted, light jeans that reached an inch above your ankles caressed your legs loosely to allow for free mobility. But the more telling signs of who you were represented themselves to Aqua in the most noticeable features of your face and person. On your left ring finger sat a silver band with the centerpiece being a diamond resembling a wayfinder and on a chain, a silver Kingdom Key hung from your neck to highlight the eyes that sparkled on a fair face adorned with pink lips and rosy cheeks. But the most noticeable feature you possessed was your head, your eyes, and your dominant arm. Born with a head of dark brown hair almost as ebony as Eraqus’s or even Terra’s, involuntary exposure to darkness seemed to create a change in your appearance from your youth as your eyes, once navy blue in your training days, now contained dark teal hints in them. Highlights of silver also shone in what little light existed in the Realm of Darkness to decorate your hair, which was flowing freely around your shoulders in waves that were much curlier than Eraqus’s own hair. A neon blue tattoo depicting a hollow wayfinder outline with a Recusant Sigil as a centerpiece holding the pieces of the star together was etched into the bicep of your dominant arm. The tattoo was symbolic to you since you were introduced to the legend of the star-shaped fruit, but it was also symbolic because you received it during your training days with the help of an old female friend who had lilac ones of her own all over her arms and back that she did herself; to make a long story short, everyone from your past who knew you could easily identify you by your tattoo alone unless it was covered up. Usually, silver hair was associated with Xehanort, with darkness, as they often accompanied golden eyes. But you were not evil for golden eyes did not shine in the light even though silver kissed the brown in your hair. Of all the children you knew and even had the honor of temporarily instructing in the art of the Keyblade, Aqua, Terra, and Ven knew of your story; even Vanitas knew too. You had been exposed to darkness against your will as an apprentice of the Keyblade by another Keyblade student unaffiliated with Eraqus, Xehanort, Yensid, your shared circle of friends, or your teacher. People who knew you knew the reason why, so no one to your knowledge associated you with evil because darkness did not control your actions. 

Rushing towards each other with spread arms, you and the younger woman pulled each other into an embrace that resembled a painting of Demeter and Persephone’s tender reunion after a long while of being separated by the darkness of the Underworld. You two never wanted to let each other go; you could stay like this forever, comforted by the notion that the younger girl was in the same boat as you, trapped in the Realm of Darkness with no way back into the Realm of Light. And yet, it quickly saddened you to know they were here with you when the girl should’ve been with Terra and Ventus. How she got here, you did not know, but you figured it had something to do with the battle in the Keyblade Graveyard against Xehanort and Vanitas. After spending years of training to achieve her dream of being a Keyblade Master, you could only imagine what sacrifices she made in order to protect those she treasured more than anything in all the worlds. If she sacrificed herself willingly to the darkness in order to save them, you hoped for the girl’s wayfinder to guide her home. But for now, just hugging her and seeing her beautiful face again brought you both such joy as you two couldn’t prevent the floodgates from being released. 

Pulling away from each other to savor the comfort you gave each other, you cupped both hands of the girl in both of yours as you grinned with watery beads streaming down your face, “Master Aqua...It’s so nice to see you again. I thought you were completely lost to us after the battle with Xehanort and Vanitas. I thought you had suffered the same fate as Ven and Terra, even Xehanort and Vanitas.” 

“I thought I was alone in this realm. So I...I can’t believe I’m seeing another familiar face again, and it’s not an illusion this time...” Aqua stuttered with unshed tears in her baby blues before she uttered her own sentiments with a lump forming in her throat at every word, “I thought you had fallen in battle alongside everyone as well. It’s a relief that you’re okay...But what’re you doing here?” That was the moment your voice betrayed you. Your heart wanted you to reveal the truth of why you were here but your mind chose to make you selectively mute to the question. Rather than give a direct answer, silence was your answer and it was more telling of your current state of mind than anything else, given the way your eyes stared down at the ground where your feet planted themselves firmly. This seemed to register understandably with the younger woman as she nodded her head with a somber grin until the guilt got to you. Aqua was a Keyblade master now and she must’ve sacrificed herself to darkness in order to save those she held dear. If she came here voluntarily, then she would understand you and your choices, your sacrifices. That’s why your heart once again took the lead as your voice acted in concordance, “I came here voluntarily...self-inflicted exile if you need more specifics.” 

“But why, Master Aoihan? You have done nothing to warrant exile. You’re one of the best Keyblade Masters I know, especially since there are few who are women now.” 

“But that’s just it...I may have the title of Master, but I had one job and I failed...Everything that happened to all of you, it was because I didn’t do what I should’ve years ago. For those reasons, I thought that I could atone for my sins in solitude here...But then you found me before the darkness and its creatures could end me and you brought me back to the light. I cannot thank you enough for that.” 

“Hey, we both failed. I’m only here because I couldn’t save Terra unless I stayed behind here and let him go back to the Realm of Light with my armor as protection from the darkness and Master Xehanort. However, we can make it right by finding a way out of here and taking back what we lost.” Aqua explained as she comforted you with a gentle hand planted upon your shoulder before she continued, “In our failures, there’s always a lesson to be learned to prevent history from repeating itself. I strongly believe we were meant to find each other in this realm and work together to make good on our promises to finish what we started.” 

Contemplation was evident in your face as your eyes widened and your mouth gasped open, the motions of a nod beginning to move your neck up and down, as their words hit you hard. Crying and complaining was okay since sometimes, life wasn’t fair. But having a pity party wasn’t ever going to fix a problem. You could sulk all day long about your failures and what they said about you as a person, but unless you changed yourself and your attitude, you would continue to fail. That’s why you couldn’t give up. The Realm of Light was counting on you to make things right. If you were a Keyblade Master and a hero, you needed to prove it. For a newly appointed master, Aqua sure was wise beyond her years. The life of a Keyblade wielder was always a tragic one that no current wielder would wish on anyone; it was a lifestyle that always created enemies and was not easy to escape from to have the civilian’s normalcy and stability. You and Aqua knew this for you two were both chosen by the weapon, not the other way around. That’s why a spark began to form in your eyes, igniting a fire inside your heart that seemed to never go out, as you grinned, “You’re right. Sulking won’t help us save your friends or the worlds. Thanks, Aqua.” 

“You’re welcome, Master Aoihan.” Aqua responded as she embraced you in her arms again, this time giving you the comfort you needed, before she suggested, “I was going to head down this path over here. You wanna see where it leads?” Giving her a nod, you and Aqua walked alongside each other as sisters of the Keyblade, fighting your way through the darkness and the Heartless inside the Realm of Darkness as they barreled towards you two. Slash upon slash, clang upon clang, you and Aqua single-handily kept the darkness at bay as thousands of Heartless surrounded you in the area of the Realm of Darkness that resembled Castle of Dreams, a place where you witnessed from the shadows as you watched the Princess of Heart Cinderella go after her dreams and succeed with the help of Eraqus’s students. It was the first time you had seen everyone have hope that their dreams would come true as the kind girl who could talk to animals and who had strong faith touched their hearts with her light. To see her land fall to darkness, it just seemed to make things feel hopeless as you feared that maybe, just maybe, Xehanort succeeded in his plan while you, Eraqus, and the trio of Wayfinders failed. However, to know for sure and devise a plan to stop this madness, you and Aqua had to fight your way out of this forsaken place. 

Pushing through the hordes of heartless that surrounded you as you worked to find clock gears to turn back time and repair the bridge to the castle that crumbled the moment you and Aqua landed on it, you and the blue-haired woman eventually managed to cross the bridge to the castle. Looking for a way out of this area to move onto another area or find a one-way ticket out of the entire realm altogether, taking a few steps forward seemed to provoke some dark energy to rise from the depths of the abyss as you pushed Aqua behind you for protection, holding your outstretched hand at her chest and shoulders like a mother close-lining their child when they slammed on their brakes in a car, your eyes widening to scan the area ahead as you could hear and feel a powerful darkness coming closer towards you and the younger woman. Glancing at you for answers, Aqua whispered a fearful “What is it?” while her stance suggested full battle alertness before you shushed her and whispered for her not to move a single muscle, making sure that there was nothing nearby only to hear something coming closer as Aqua seemed to be able to sense it too, leading both of you to  
materialize light in your dominant hands to summon your weapons. At the same time, you pressed the neon blue disc on the right temple of the platinum and silver headband you wore above your brow, a gold Mark of Mastery symbol engraved into the center. Within an instant, light enveloped your entire frame as your armor was summoned magically as the disc started to glow too. Piece by piece, armor of platinum, silver, and rose gold with neon blue linings of the black, skin-tight parts flew onto your body starting from your feet and ending at your face as a beam of magic wrapped around your hair, which seemed more silver than normal with the amount of light that shone on the highlights that adorned your dark brunette head, to braid it into a fishtail ponytail before fitting a garnet covering over your face, molded around your metallic headband, fully mirroring Vanitas’s mask. Within a few seconds, Aqua stood behind you as you pressed your backs against each other, turning in unison to look for the source of the disturbance before the ground erupted around you both. With the force of a detrimental earthquake, you and Aqua braced yourselves for impact as a Demon Tide of Shadow Heartless popped out of the ground and swirled around like a vortex of black with beady, yellow lights like fireflies lighting up the area. Looking to Aqua with peripheral glances from your eyes, you called out to her as you asked, “You ready?” 

“Whenever you are, Master!” Aqua called back as her own baby blues glanced back at you through peripheral vision before the Demon Tide struck at you both with swift dips and slices through the air. Rolling, flipping, and jumping away to avoid the onslaught, you and Aqua assisted each other against this enemy before the blue-haired woman got separated from you. Getting struck from the side as she fell towards the earth with a piercing gasp, you gasped as you rushed to the woman’s side before the Demon Tide could finish her off. Blocking the enemy with a magic barrier surrounded you like a glass hamster ball to allow Aqua time to escape, you pleaded out a final cry to her as you made her promise something to you, a wince evident in your tone as the Demon Tide tried to push through and managed to bring you down to a single knee while the barrier began to show the beginning of cracks in the foundation, “Take care of Ven and Terra and protect the worlds, Aqua. If anyone can, it’s you.” 

“Master?”

“It’s no use; there’s too many of them! We’ll be overrun if I don’t do something. You need to get back to the Realm of Light.” You grinned sadly with shimmering irises as the blue-haired woman asked, eyes widened and mouth gaped open with a shakiness in her tone, “What do you mean, ‘if you don’t do something’? Master, what are you doing? We can go back together!” 

“I’m giving you your best chance, Aqua...Get outta here while you still have time; I’ll hold them off.” You warned as the blue-haired woman screamed out a ‘wait, no’ from a distance before you pushed against the Demon Tide by standing back on two firm feet that planted themselves in the dirt like a tree that refused to move, no longer on a single knee. Hollering out a battle cry at the heartless, darkness enveloped your entire being, causing the blue-haired woman to gasp. Darkness was usually associated with evil, rage, negativity. But yet here you were using the same power that Xehanort and Vanitas used in the final battle at the Keyblade Graveyard, the same power that Master Eraqus loathed with a passion and taught his students to fear and hate too. While you were using it for the side of good, it still frightened Aqua to see you use it even though it wasn’t the first time she saw you do so, as she had witnessed you teaching Terra how to control once as a child under Eraqus’s watchful eye. She didn’t fear that you would lose control over it, but she did fear that it would try to corrupt you if you weren’t careful. However, all the summoning of that dark magic seemed to do was lure the heartless away from the younger Master to give her an opening to escape as they all followed you instead. Running away from Aqua to back the enemies into a nearby corner, you slashed your Keyblade left and right to lessen their numbers as you walked forward, the blue-haired woman aiming blasts of Blizzara at the Demon Tide from afar to help you reduce their numbers even further. No matter how many times you struck, they just kept coming. It was just as you said before: They just kept coming so it was really no use. Whenever one heartless went down, more took their place. The Demon Tide seemed to have no end as you just kept plunging yourself deeper into the vortex that sucked you in. That’s why you had to act fast! The vortex was trying to pull Aqua in too, so you needed to do something else unless you wanted both you and Aqua to perish. That’s why you had no choice but to make your next move to give the younger woman a shimmer of hope to get back to the Realm of Light, to save the worlds and all the people in them. Igniting your hand with a shimmer of light as you held it up in plain view like a beacon, you flashed it at the heartless as they fed on the nature of the id in their psyche: To snuff out the light and devour the heart that contained it. Taking a forward dive towards you, the heartless grabbed you up in their vortex as they whisked you away in the air, somersaulting and slithering further into the Realm of Darkness with you summoning a shimmering, magical orb barrier around yourself again at the last possible second, as the last thing you remembered was Aqua reaching her gloved hand out for you in vain with a heart-breaking scream, “MASTER AOIHAN!” 

Within a few moments of traveling in the vortex of the heartless as they continuously scratched the barrier to no avail, they eventually dropped you onto the ground as you landed on your feet. Finally regaining your balance as you raised yourself to a full stand, you lowered the cracked screen of your helmet so you could see everything around you, hacking coughs escaping your throat and salty tears falling from your eyes as your heart pounded against your chest again from the battle dust you swallowed on the descent after you removed the barrier following your moments of heartless surfing, which dried your mouth. Throwing a blast of Watera towards your face so you could wash it of dust and clear your eyesight, you heard the Demon Tide creeping up again as you shook your head with a smirk and a whisper of ‘Here we go again.’ Engaging in a battle stance as the Demon Tide dived towards you, you sprinted to meet them as you lit up your Keyblade with the strongest summoning of light magic before the ground shook and a white flash permeated the entire area. 

Once the dust had subsided and the coast was clear, you scanned the area to make sure all traces of the darkness and the Demon Tide were gone before nodding at how empty the space was. Materializing your weapon back out of existence with a burst of light in your dominant hand, your armor followed in turn with another flash of light, leaving only your metallic headband intact as your hair magically unraveled from a braid and back down into the curls you were so accustomed to. Shaking out your hair with your fingers brushing through it, you decided to get your bearings by making it to higher ground if possible as you sauntered off in a random direction, hypervigilance becoming a welcome friend in this wicked realm. You knew not where left or right was, but at this point, you didn’t care. You were only concerned with getting back to the Realm of Light with Aqua once you found her again. Protecting the light from the darkness was your mission and your duty as a Keyblade Master, and by doing this, you would also save all the worlds from a terrible fate. Getting to higher ground would allow you to have a keen eye on where you were in this place and it might even help you find Aqua faster. Taking hold of two slabs on the side of a rocky hill, you dug the toes of your boots as far down into the rubble as you could before you began a steep climb. To avoid a sudden plummet at such a fatal height, you hoisted yourself up the rocks one step at a time as you paced yourself and hoped the Heartless would not try to attack you on the way up or up at the very top. Muscles aching, sweat dripping, breath hitching...But onward you continued with the agility and patience of a parkour master. 

At long last, you made it to the top as you rolled onto your hands and knees, bracing your body up with what little strength you possessed left as deep inhales and exhales guided your lungs. Scanning the area for enemies only to find none, you grinned with a nod of your head before rising to your feet. Dusting off your clothes, you looked out at the vast blackness of the realm that surrounded you, which seemed limitless as far as your eyes could tell. At this rate, there was no way you and Aqua were getting out of here unless you both found a place that would allow safe passage back to the Realm of Light without letting something from this realm out that shouldn’t be out. But without Keyblade armor, Aqua ran the risk of being corrupted by darkness and its temptations. However, you would willingly hand over your armor to her if it meant she was safe and she was the sole survivor of the realm while you stayed behind. After all, you had survived high levels of exposure to the darkness without much detriment to yourself or others, with and without Keyblade armor or the charmed necklace you wore, but especially without the only things that could keep you from danger. A little more exposure to darkness wouldn’t hurt or kill you, but it could do far worse to Aqua, who was never exposed to such a power until now. Even if she was the only one who could return while you could not, you would have been proud of yourself to have sacrificed yourself and helped a student of Eraqus’s, to assist them in living on to fight another day. However, a familiar gleam filled your gaze as you recognized a heart of light nearby, presenting itself to you with such a radiance that you grinned in recognition of who it was before you slid down from the stone crag. Sprinting towards the source of light, you cupped your hands over your mouth while a name was called out into the void, “Aqua! If you can hear me, please answer back!” 

No answer came. 

“Aqua?! Are you there? If you are, it’s me, Master Aoihan! Please answer me!” 

A second time, no answer came. 

With one last endeavor to confirm or deny if Aqua was there or was just a phantom of shadow disguised as a beloved student you knew, you decided to try something that only the blue-haired woman would recognize as something unique to the two of you. Pulling out what looked like a wayfinder from your pocket, you held it up like a torch to light your way in this darkness as your light enveloped your hand, thereby enveloping the symbolic item you held. When Aqua made wayfinders for her friends so their connection would be unbreakable, she had remembered the stories of the star-shaped fruit, native to the world of Destiny Islands. When Aqua remembered those stories that guided her hands to make such handicrafts, she remembered that they had come from memories of you telling her about all the worlds you visited when she was just a child who had sweet dreams by moonlight and starry skies overhead. When you passed your Mark of Master, you chose to be a seeker and not a steward teacher of the Land of Departure. Eraqus always thought it best that you remain in one place and settle down after leading such a danger-ridden lifestyle as a child; you and Xehanort thought the opposite and decided to travel together to explore and learn more about all the worlds. Your tales of adventure inspired Aqua and Terra to be heroes while your souvenirs and trinkets fascinated the two apprentices of Eraqus. Sometimes, whenever gifts could be acquired during your travels, they were given to Aqua and Terra, customized for their individual preferences to create unique collections that would satisfy their curiosity and educate them about the worlds as they learned under Eraqus’s watchful eyes. One of the tales you shared, your favorite ever since visiting Destiny Islands for yourself with Xehanort as a companion (when he wasn’t so prideful and cruel due to darkness’s grip on his heart), was that of the Paopu fruit and its symbolism. With such a story, you showed Aqua and Terra a handmade trinket resembling the shape of the very thing you spoke of. Your dear friend Natila, an artisan who worked in a forge with her late father for Keyblade wielder and non-wielder alike and who gave you the tattoo you were famous for, also made star-shaped trinkets of metal for all her friends, yourself included. This later caused Aqua to do for Ven and Terra what Natila did for you and your friends. That’s why you knew this trick would distinguish friend from foe; only Aqua would recognize such an item of light and the light that led one wayfinder to find another. 

As fate would have it, luck was on your side as a blue wayfinder lit up the area with its own light, leading you back to Aqua as she recognized you and your light, giving a small nod with a gentle grin as you sighed a big relief with a single tear rolling down your cheek at hearing such a familiar tone, “I hear you, Master Aoihan, so I’ll answer your call.” 

“Master Aoihan? As I live and breath, can it be?” A third voice, most likely male, asked into the open air as you saw the silhouette of his face in the light illuminating from Aqua’s wayfinder before you came closer to the two with a startled gasp, “King Mickey? Is it really you, old friend?” 

“Long time, no see.” Mickey chuckled as he came closer to you with Aqua by his side, both masters overjoyed to see a familiar face and a beloved master with them again as your words turned to poetry while your heart beckoned forth emotions to bubble in your eyes and throat, some of which were too strong for you to hold back, “Worlds, like stars of great light and power, share one sky. In this way, all wayfinders shall never be torn apart, as all worlds too share one destiny...It seems we were meant to meet again. It’s been too long. I missed you both.” 

“We missed you too, Aoihan, old friend.” Mickey replied as he sprinted over to you alongside Aqua, resulting in a tremendous group hug that was as warm and comforting as it was much needed in such a cold, foreboding realm. Embracing both the anthropomorphic monarch and the newly-appointed female Master in your strong arms, you never wanted to let them go as their grips only tightened on you with each caress. Facing the Realm of Darkness alone was the most frightening feeling you had ever encountered in your life, regardless of age or rank. That sinking feeling of losing everything was as strong now as it was back then when you were involuntarily exposed to darkness in the past. But with Aqua and Mickey here, the light shone brighter than ever before to bring you out of your own mind, which was plagued by self-doubt and insecurities that beckoned the darkness to take hold of you. That’s why ever breath in your lungs and every beat of your heart led you to this moment, to reunite with loved ones to help save the worlds and protect the light. That was your purpose as a Master: You also needed to live on and make it back to the Realm of Light in order to assist Aqua and now Mickey, who seemed to be in this realm in order to help protect his kingdom and his people as was his duty as king. 

Letting go of the embrace to see their beautiful faces, you grinned at both of them as they did the same, but as Aqua grinned, tears rolled down her cheeks at being able to see you again as you brought her in for another hug. With tears shed from your visage as they landed against her shoulders, you and Aqua comforted one another with the fact that you were both alive and reunited again before you broke apart with solemn nods, remembering the task at hand as you suggested, “Now that we’re all here and accounted for...King Mickey, if you could lead the way.” 

“Of course, Master Aoihan.” Mickey nodded back as he beckoned you and Aqua to his side with a wave of his hand before you two began walking down the path. Along the way, heartless tried to stop you three as antagonistic obstacles armed with more darkness than they had in the realm of light. However, it was the three of you working together as a team that managed to push them back to make it to a nearby door in a wall so your first step in this new journey could be completed. 

The door was quite simple, wooden and oval shaped with yellow trim creating a pattern at the top of the arch. However, the energy you could feel inside created a sinking feeling in your heart again as you suddenly feared the worst, knowing that where there was light, there was always darkness to follow. Mickey’s voice soon calmed your thoughts as he replied, “I bet it’s in here.” Looking to you for answers, Aqua shrugged her shoulders as she had no clue as to what Mickey was talking about while you only gave a nod with a tiny grin. You were a survivor who confirmed rumors of a Keyblade existing in this realm; the person who exposed you to darkness as a student in training once found it and used it against you. So Mickey’s words had some merit to them, causing you to reassure Aqua to continue forward as you three pushed open the door. At once, a Kingdom Key floating in a golden beam greeted you at the entrance as it shone in garnet, gold, and silver before Mickey shouted, “There!” 

Walking forward with hesitating palms, Mickey paused a beat to make sure a trap would not be set if he disturbed the peace of the room before he seized the weapon, gripping it tightly in his hand as its energy coursed through his body while Aqua asked him, “Is that what you’re after?” 

“The Kingdom Key of the Realm of Darkness. It’s been decades since I’ve seen that blade in action, when Master Yami was once its bearer until he returned it to its proper place here.” You recounted with sparkling eyes as the flashbacks lit up your mind with vivid scents and images that made you feel as if you were back in the past. Gazing at your reaction with blue eyes sparkling in empathy, the blue-haired woman pulled you out of your mind with a gentle pat to your shoulders as you grabbed her hand with a smile before both of you turned to Mickey, who continued to speak as he held the blade, “Yep, it’s just the key I was looking for. A Keyblade from the dark realm!” 

“A Keyblade of darkness.” Aqua sighed in such a tone that it almost sounded crestfallen. But given her situation of defeating practitioners of darkness only to be stuck in a realm made of the same power she vanquished from the world ten years earlier, it made sense that she wouldn’t be so warm and receptive to a Keyblade that fed off the energy of this place. However, her curiosity was piqued by your stories and words of poetry as you sauntered away from her to grip the blade alongside Mickey, entranced by its metallic glow in what little light the realm expressed, “The door of darkness, tied by two keys...The door of darkness to seal the light.” Letting go of the Keyblade so Mickey could wield it, you nodded in respect to the monarch as he nodded back while he announced, “We got the keys. Now we find the ones to close the door.”

This answer didn’t seem to be satisfactory for Aqua as she gave an questioning exclamation of ‘huh’ before Mickey explained your current situation to the blue-haired dame, “The door between the realms-it won’t let a heart of light pass through. So only darkness keeps spilling out...We can lock the door using the two Keyblades but we need help on both sides.”

“He’s right. Those are the laws of that door. Yami explained them exactly the same decades ago as King Mickey is now. There’s nothing we can do from this side except close the door here.” You shook your head solemnly as Aqua found no hope in your gestures or the king’s before she made her own suggestion as to help you two, “Well, then, since you’ll be doing the locking, let me be the one to close the door.” 

“It can’t be you because you’re stuck on this side of the door.” You pleaded your case as Aqua’s eyes widened in surprise before Mickey shook his head as well, “Besides, I’m sorry but the job’s been taken by someone else.” 

“Who?” Aqua asked as Mickey answered,  
“Riku and Sora.” 

Riku and Sora, two names of two boys from Destiny Islands. Recollection flooded your mind and Aqua’s as a silver-haired boy in yellow and a brunette boy in red came to mind, irises of teal and irises of blue shining like the sea that surrounded their childhood paradise. From what you knew of the boys from speaking with Aqua and Terra, you learned that Riku had been initiated to be a Keyblade wielder by the brunette Master-to-be and had passed his test after the earth-wielder saw the boy’s potential shining in his heart. You could also feel their potential, as you had once seen the younger boys for yourself from a distance as you watched over Terra, Aqua, and Ven from the shadows. Riku did have potential as you could feel his heart from afar and see that all he wanted to do was get strong enough to protect what he loved and explore the worlds. But then again, so did Sora, as his heart seemed stronger and more healing than most normal hearts of the same caliber. For some reason from afar, before you exiled yourself to the Realm of Darkness, you could feel an extra shimmer inside Sora’s heart and while you could not pinpoint where the extra bit of light came from, you figured it had something to do with the brunette boy’s power awakening for the first time. That gave you hope as you left the Realm of Light in the more than capable hands of Riku and Sora, the new generation of heroes of all the worlds. To hear that they would be assisting in the endeavor to do their duty as Keyblade wielders, to assist you and the others from the other side of the door, it sparked a sense of relief within you as Aqua too seemed overjoyed that the boys would help before an earthquake followed by a flash of white pulled the three of you from your thoughts as you were transported further inside the realm. 

Taking cautious steps forward once you three got your bearings, a white door covered in stained glass of many different colors and shapes, greeted you as you gasped, “It really does exist! Kingdom Hearts within this realm...I thought it was just a rumor, but to see it here...Incredible!” 

“Is it really Kingdom Hearts?” Aqua asked as the flashback of a heart shaped moon glowing blue in a sky of stars entered her mind. However, you clarified all she needed to know as you explained, “It’s a version of Kingdom Hearts, similar to the moon that we remember in the Realm of Light. But in this realm, it’s weaker than the moon. However, it’s too dangerous for it to be left open. If we want any chance of stopping the darkness from spreading around the worlds, we have to close it now.” Giving a small nod of understanding, the blue-haired woman stared at the gargantuan door alongside you while Mickey pointed the Keyblade at the door with his next announcement of his plans, “Well, Sora is ready on the other side. Let’s do this before it’s too late.” 

“You got this, your majesty.” You encouraged as the male mouse smiled back at you before another earthquake erupted from the ground, a rumbling forming in the dark as you summoned your armor and your weapon again before you warned Mickey and Aqua to prepare for an attack. Summoning their own weapons, Aqua and Mickey stood back-to-back with you in a triangle shape so that everyone could turn every which way without being blindsided by an adversary. All of a sudden, on your side, another Demon Tide sprung from the ground as you gasped alongside the king and the young woman. Circling the three of you as you faced the enemy, the Demon Tide built up its energy for its first offensive strike as you shouted out, “They definitely grew since we first encountered them, Aqua!” 

“Yes, they did, Master.” Aqua nodded as she gripped her weapon tighter before you suggested, “But we defeated them before so we’ll defeat them again. Good luck everyone, and be careful; they’re much stronger in this realm. May your heart be your guiding key.” 

“Let’s get ‘em!” Mickey commanded as you and Aqua sprinted by his side into the shadows to face the Demon Tide before something else diverted their attention. Retreating from you three to attack something that appeared from further down the valley at the end of the realm, you, Aqua, and Mickey could do nothing but gasp as you all feared for the life of the figure who was unaware of a Demon Tide coming right at them. 

Out of the corner came a young man from the shadows, with yellow as his main palette of choice for clothing and silver hair gleaming in the little slivers of light that pierced through the realm. In that moment, your heart connected with his as memories of an island, a red-haired Princess of Heart, and a brunette with a strong heart to save all he loved flooded your mind. As was your gift since being able to conquer your darkness and wield it for the side of good, you could connect with people’s hearts and see their thoughts, feelings, and memories to better understand people, whether they were friend or foe. Putting all the pieces of the vivid five senses together, you completed a full analysis of the teenage boy as you deduced that he was Riku, Terra’s chosen one. However, while there was much good inside the boy’s heart, there was also evil as memories of giving into darkness to beat Sora flooded your head as well. While you believed strongly that Terra was right in his choice to give Riku a chance at the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony, you also believed that Riku would be as strong as if not stronger than Xehanort if he fell to the corruption of darkness again and became a formidable villain. But for now, the good shined bright inside him as he ran to the white door with the goal of assisting Sora from the dark side while the Demon Tide dove towards the silver-haired teenager without his knowledge. 

Working quickly, you ran forward to where Riku was going as Mickey and Aqua followed swiftly behind. With legs pounding against the ground with the speed of the strongest zephyr, Aqua increased her speed to match yours while Mickey was left in the dust in order to assist your endeavor to save Riku from harm as she yelled out, “You get to him first; I’ll cover you!” 

“Okay, here goes!” You nodded back as you outran the Demon Tide. Forming a magical barrier of light that went from end to end of the walls near Riku’s path, you gave Aqua the room and the time to act as she summoned a magic chain to wrap around the Demon Tide to contain them into a ball while telling them to ‘back off.’ Using her Keyblade like a wand to guide them away from Riku and you, you kept the barrier up in the event Aqua’s plan failed as she showed signs of struggle with containing the heartless. However, she kept trying to contain them as she managed to get them away from you and Riku before they finally broke free, draining her of all her strength. Diving down towards you, the heartless managed to break through your barrier as cracks echoed through the space while you grunted and tried to hang on only to fall to both knees. Swirling up into the air like a high tornado to prepare for another offensive strike, you held up your Keyblade in preparation for your own offensive or defensive maneuver before the Demon Tide flew out of your reach and side-swiped you across your rib cage, producing a painful scream from you as an old wound on your hip reopened and you collapsed to the ground after rolling around for a few seconds. Coughing up the dust that dried out your throat, you watched helplessly as the Demon Tide swiped across Mickey, taking away his armor as he rolled around on the ground helplessly. Looking up to where Aqua was, you and Mickey could do nothing to help as the blue-haired woman was snatched off the ground with a gasp by the Demon Tide and pushed through the wooden door that was similar to the one that led you to the Kingdom Key of darkness. With a flash of purple light, the door disappeared from sight with no way to return back to Aqua as you and Mickey screamed her name. 

In a realm that was untouched by time, it felt as though your heart ceased to beat as that sinking feeling entered your mind again, dropping your heart down to your stomach. The sounds left your throat in slow motion as tears flew down your face. Aqua couldn’t really be gone, could she? Terra and Ven were already gone; Eraqus, Vanitas, and Xehanort were also gone. But Aqua was still alive and well in this realm even when you believed she too was gone. The reason why you exiled yourself to the Realm of Darkness was because you believed you had failed Eraqus’s students as well as Vanitas and you had failed in stopping Xehanort from reaching his goals. Ten years passed as you remained in solitude with many regrets until a familiar face managed to find you. With Aqua alive in this realm as you worked together to return back to the Realm of Light alongside King Mickey, it gave you hope for a second chance to do right by Eraqus and everyone else in the Realm of Light who counted on you to be the hero. Now that Aqua was gone, so too was your hope to be a hero. If you couldn’t even save a student of your brother-friend who viewed you as an equal in rank or even as a cool aunt, if you couldn’t even stop a man who was once your beloved friend and training partner, how could you save countless worlds from the darkness? The more seconds that passed since Aqua disappeared, the more the darkness beckoned you to give into it as self-doubt and insecurities over your inferiority as a Keyblade Master flooded your brain. 

However, out of the darkness of your head came a bright light to guide you from self-hatred as they begged you to help them, “Master Aoihan, we have to close that door to stop the darkness from spreading!” Like a welcome hug, Mickey saved you from yourself as he reminded you why you were here. Aqua needed to be grieved, that was true. But now was not the time. You could grieve in solitude later once the task of saving the worlds from their current villain was complete. Sprinting alongside Mickey to reach the door, you both reached Riku in time as the king and Sora from their respective sides of the door locked it with the keys before everyone worked together to push the door closed. Sora didn’t want to leave anyone behind and he begged for everyone in the dark realm to come to his side of me door. However, Mickey reassured the boy that he, you, and Riku would be alright as the silver-haired teenager pleaded for Sora to look after Kairi. With your last few words, you pleaded for Sora to right the wrongs that had been done in the worlds and to keep the light and kindness in his heart strong while he nodded, promising you that he would with a sincerity in his tone that gave you hope in the same way that Aqua did. Finally pushing the door closed with a loud slam, Mickey and Riku turned to look at you as the young man asked, “Who are you? I’ve never seen you before.” 

“That’s because you’ve never met me before, at least not in person. My name is Master Aoihan. I knew Terra and Aqua when they were just students, so by extension, I knew you and Sora. I’ve only ever encountered your hearts from the shadows, but I do know you.” You explained before Riku asked, “If you’re a master, then what are you doing here?”

Before you could answer the teenager and even the monarch, who was curious as to why you were here too, a throbbing pain in your ribcage produced a wince from your lips as your eyes glossed over and you collapsed to the ground. With a gasp and call of your name, the last thing you remembered before passing out was Riku and Mickey rushing to your side as the silver-haired teenager noticed a wound on your side, bringing this to Mickey’s attention with a frightened cry as the king summoned magic in his hand to call forth a Curaga spell, pleading with you to hold on as Riku applied pressure to your wound to make sure you would live. With bright eyes closing and opening as you lapsed in and out of consciousness, you reached a hand out to Riku with a whisper of his name as he held your hand with his free one and pleaded with you to hang on too before darkness became the only thing in your sight.


	2. Kingdom Hearts Oneshots - Master & Pupil: A Mutual Codependence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Here’s the second chapter of this oneshot series for Kingdom Hearts. Please enjoy and as always, comments are welcome.

“I can’t hold her off for long! Please, Aoihan, go now! Escape to the outside!” 

Laurium?...

“Let the light forever guide you on your journey, Aoihan. Go find the clues to the truth you seek, and may your heart be your guiding key.” 

...Ephemer? 

Why were you hearing those voices when it was several decades ago that you heard them? Why were you seeing those two young men again when they were no longer alive in the Realm of Light? Repeating those memories in your head, it spelled out a curse of death for you because it was the last time you saw them again before darkness came for them and for you. While you were whisked away to another world in order to find clues to help you solve your friend’s sister’s murder and to protect your heart from the darkness (as was ordained by the magical enchantment upon your key necklace, which Ephemer had given you), your friends weren’t as fortunate as you to survive. 

“H...ey!...Ar...you okay? Miss...wake up, please...H...ng on...” 

The muffled pleas for you to fight so you could live echoed in your ears as if water had taken away any sense of hearing from a recent drowning. When you were found in another world after being whisked away from your friends and the darkness, it was a boy in white who found you. Wavy curls as black as ebony (half of which were up in a high ponytail held by a red elastic), dark eyes like lapis lazuli, and skin kissed by the sun greeted your vision as they inquired about your wellbeing. When you were found by the boy in white, you had crash-landed into a small row boat of wood, half of your body hanging out of it to touch the water and half of your body inside it. When you were found, the boy in white saved you from drowning after you had accidentally fallen into the water once he touched the boat to pull it back to shore. The boy was just minding his own business, taking a break from Keyblade training after his master left for the day to attend to important business. Sitting by the shining water to savor the sunshine and crying gulls overhead, he started weaving dandelions together to make a crown before he saw you fall from the sky. He thought you were another student who accidentally fell from another tower in this castle for Keyblade trainees, so he immediately went to rescue you. But upon further inspection after carefully administering CPR, he realized you were an outsider from another world. However, your lucidity was lost with the boy as you snapped awake, crying out for your friends with a hoarse voice that resembled someone with a case of laryngitis about to form. Gazing upon you in sympathy for your plight, the young boy noticed your neck with a silent gasp as flesh laced with bruises of many sizes and colors in the shape of a handprint much bigger than your own became too much for his heart to bear, knowing that someone had most likely tried to kill you. Bloodshot eyes that gave you pain whenever you so much as even blinked produced tears on your cheeks as darkness blurred your vision like a TV screen going through a period of static and clear images before shorting out, causing you to hyperventilate as you explained that your vision was disappearing just like your friends had. It was as if the boy turned into your knight in shining armor as he begged you to hold on just a little longer, eventually rushing you in his arms to a good healer inside the castle’s many towers. There, they fixed your eyes so you could sleep knowing that you’d be able to see when you woke up again. Before passing out from your panic and the medicine being given to you to knock you out for surgery, the boy asked your name and you gave it, prompting him to give you his name: Eraqus. 

Dear Eraqus...

He was like a brother to you and he too was gone, unable to be saved from Xehanort. All you could do was watch him die from the shadows while you watched over his students in his stead as your own friend killed the one he saw as a little brother. It killed you to know you couldn’t do anything, as Eraqus asked you to stay away from Xehanort after the last incident you and him had with the man, resulting in scars induced by dark energy that was shot at you two on two separate occasions after harsh arguments with the dark wielder. For a while, you heeded Eraqus’s warning and stayed away, only watching from the shadows and occasionally offering assistance to his students. But you neglected his warning after Xehanort had cruelly taken your adoptive brother from you so you could face the man in black yourself to avenge the fallen man in white. And then just like that, Xehanort was gone too. Xehanort could do a lot of things to anger you and Eraqus, even disappoint the two of you. He was always a curious person who didn’t like to leave questions unanswered and who always tried to think outside the box to find a third solution rather than think in black-or-white absolutes. He always tried to prove himself since he was an outsider, a non-blue blood, who just got lucky when being chosen by the weapon. But you and Eraqus, even your other friends such as Natila and Yensid, did love Xehanort and did care about him as a friend. Even when you and Xehanort were rivals who used to bicker like an old married couple or one-up each other until a mutual love of travel and learning brought you closer together, you and him at one time loved each other enough to be wed until the darkness took him from you. That’s why it broke your heart to lose him too, despite all the pain he caused to innocent people. 

But the most tragic losses as of recent times were those of Ven, Aqua, Terra, and Vanitas. These four were temporary students of yours through Xehanort and Eraqus, and at one time, you had once viewed Vanitas as a son when he was as kind and gentle as Ven before darkness and the pain of being separated from his twin of light changed him. At one time, Aqua and Terra called you “aunt” and Ven even viewed you as a second mother similar to Aqua, who had motherly qualities of her own to offer the blonde. But all because of the selfish actions of Xehanort, everyone you knew was gone. Sure, you had Mickey, Yensid, Natila, and a few others from your past. But for the most part, there were scarce few survivors left. In a lifetime plagued by loss, this pain you felt now definitely took the cake. That’s why you almost welcomed your end with grace and satisfaction that the pain would end...almost. 

With a burst of white light entering your eyesight, a sharp inhale erupted from your throat as your chest heaved while your side still throbbed. At once, a pair of turquoise irises revealed themselves to you as they marveled at how you were even still alive after hearing about how you survived an attack from a horde of Shadow Heartless and how you survived in the Realm of Darkness for ten years in solitude, mostly alone. However, your mind, still stuck in the past, didn’t catch up with your heart as you believed this person was just an illusion of the realm sent to kill you. Behind gritted teeth and eyes that widened into the face of someone who had gone mad, your dominant hand reached up to fight off the attacker as a gold gleam flashed across your irises for a split second before changing back to your normal heterochromia. Seizing the male figure by the throat as you flipped them onto their back, they grunted and attempted to pry your iron grip from their neck before they managed to get some of your fingers loose. Once they were free, the male figure punched you in the face as they kicked you back and rolled a fair distance away. Summoning your Keyblades in unison, you and the male figure in yellow performed battle stances to indicate that you were ready to strike as the teenager you just grabbed around the throat shouted his case to you, “I’m not your enemy; I only want to help.” 

“Yeah, you want to help yourself by killing me so I can’t keep the worlds safe! You’re just an apparition from this realm!” You shouted back as your grip on your weapon tightened and your face hardened as much as your heart had before another male voice cut through the darkness, “Aoihan, Riku! STOP!” 

Something in you clicked as your mind finally snapped itself out of the past and back into the present. Recollection of the events that transpired before passing out flooded your head as you saw the events of Aqua’s disappearance, assisting Mickey and Sora in locking the door to Kingdom Hearts, and Riku and Mickey tending to you when you collapsed. At once, guilt created a lump in your throat that seemed a hard pill to swallow as you and Riku put your weapons away with a beam of light in your hands, causing the teenager and the monarch to cautiously approach you. With careful steps, Riku and Mickey managed to get close enough while still keeping a safe distance just in case. In the meanwhile, you fell to your knees as you hugged yourself with one arm. With your head downcast and whispers of “I’m sorry” escaping your lips in a broken tone, catatonia froze your body in place with only your shoulders shaking and your dominant hand reaching up to grasp your face to hide the tears that ran down to plop against the dirt. To someone who didn’t know you, they would think you were having a mental breakdown. But to Mickey and Riku, who knew a little bit about what you suffered, they could understand why you snapped at the teenager and attacked him, believing he was an illusion of darkness after coasting back and forth through periods of life and death as something in you clung to life. In your voice, they could hear bitter pain and regret as it killed them on the inside to see someone cry in their presence. Whenever you cried in the past, it was usually done when you were sure you were alone and wouldn’t be disturbed because you it was sometimes hard to keep a straight face all the time without a catharsis every once in a while; you also had the ill-conceived notion that you would be seen as inadequate of being a Keyblade Master if others witnessed you breaking down mentally, physically, psychologically, or emotionally. That’s why you could count on your hands how many times you cried aloud in your entire lifetime, especially when doing so in the presence of others. For the most part, though, your cries were silent and private during your lifetime. This instance was no different aside from the occasional whispers of “I’m sorry” escaping from a lump in your throat that refused to go away, no matter how many times you inhaled and exhaled to calm yourself down again. It wasn’t until you were accused of being a stoic automaton as a teenager that you started to express your emotions more when your ideology of tears equating to weakness was proved wrong by your loved ones, mainly Xehanort, who saw right through the mask you wore. But after losing Xehanort (which eventually led to the loss of Eraqus and the four students of the new generation) and exiling yourself to the Realm of Darkness when you failed to stop the man’s goal of starting another Keyblade War, the flood gates broke as you felt like you had lost everything and had put more worlds in harm’s way at the hands of darkness by not being strong enough to protect them and their light. The fact that you nearly killed Riku and Mickey by accident in a delirium brought about by flashbacks and a near-death experience, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Nothing could cease the tears or the shaking of your shoulders as you were stuck in your own little world.

With bloodshot eyes widening as your head snapped up to meet Mickey’s gaze, the mouse offered a friendly pat on the shoulder to you before his arms welcomed you openly, causing you to lean your forehead against his shoulder silently as you continued to cry. Encircling your waist with his short arms, Mickey refused to let you go as soothing circles were rubbed into the middle of your back while your arms encircled the king’s shoulders. Collecting yourself on your own after receiving a hug from a king, you took deep breathes in and out of your nose as you rubbed your eyes with your wrists before you looked to Riku again. Reaching out your hand to him, you begged his forgiveness for the misunderstanding and the fight that nearly ensued as you held yourself accountable, “At my age, I should have control over light and darkness in my heart. I’m sorry I unleashed my emotions on you and King Mickey, and I take full responsibility for it. It’ll never happen again; you have my word.” 

In all his life of growing up with Sora and Kairi under his wing, always looking to him for guidance, he was their older brother in a sense and would do anything to protect them. But like you, he too made mistakes and faltered when coming at a crossroads for the path of the light and the path of the dark. Even now, Riku knew of the malevolent consequences of his actions and sought to atone for them now, to make things right with Kairi and Sora even if he never saw them or his home again. It was no wonder then why Riku forgave you in such a way that it touched your heart as he did so without words. Grabbing your hand with a reassuring squeeze, a gentle smile graced his features as he nodded his head in understanding. A smile also graced your face as Mickey smiled from behind you, satisfied that the outcome was much more pleasant than he expected it to be after watching you unleash a fury that he had never seen from you in a long while. Even without words, just the thought that Riku was willing to put aside differences to work together with you was astonishing enough to make you rise to your feet so you could have a proper introduction aside from a short-lived exchange of names, a fatal medical emergency, a short lapse of detachment from reality, and a breakdown that was as painful to feel as it was to watch. 

“Stay still, Aoihan! You just woke up from an injury.” Mickey pleaded as he tried to push you back into a sitting position to no avail as you managed to balance on two legs. Lifting your shirt enough to see the nasty scar on your side as you craned your head to inspect it in its entirety, a visible gaze of awe at how you weren’t in any pain or even still alive directed itself at you from Riku’s teal irises before you stared ahead at the bottomless pit that was the Realm of Darkness. Summoning a Firaga spell, you moved your glowing hand to your side as you cauterized the wound with a sharp grunt, hisses escaping your nostrils as sweat poured down your brow and tears fell from your eyes, before you turned back around to face the king, “One injury ain’t gonna stop me. I have to get back to the Realm of Light and finish what I started, just as you and Riku must. I’ll help you get back if it’s the last thing I do.” 

“Is that possible?” Riku asked you with curiosity gleaming in his features as you lowered your shirt while you nodded, “As someone who has been transported here against my will, taught how to wield darkness, and who has escaped alive ever since I was no older than you...I say we can and we will escape the Realm of Darkness.” Getting your bearings, a meticulous reconnaissance of the space began with you lowering yourself to one knee while a single palm grazed the ground. Seismic waves ran under your palm as your eyes fluttered shut, all to block out the noise in your head and the noises of the realm, but no evidence of a malicious combatant piqued your hypervigilance. All you could feel was the light in your heart, the king’s, and even Riku’s, even given the teenager’s flaws that led to a tiny bit of darkness inside. Satisfied with knowing that no enemy would harm you or your companions, you rose back to your feet as you faced the males with a suggestion, “The north seems like a good path to take. Please try to keep up and always stay behind me. I can always feel when enemies are near and can plan accordingly.” However, taking a step forward seemed to provoke a startled reaction from you as a firm hand seized your wrist. Whipping around to find Riku as the perpetrator of the action, your eyes widened in surprise at his outburst before his curiosity guided his heart to touch yours, teal eyes never losing contact with your irises of heterochromia, “You can control darkness?” 

“And light. I can actually wield both. Why?” You asked curiously with motherly irises sparkling as the teenager released your wrist, a forlorn expression washing over his face as he couldn’t even find the words to describe his reasons for wanting to learn more about you. But as you looked into his heart, it became all too clear as to why he wanted to know how you were able to control such a power that could be maliciously used if in the wrong hands. He had fallen to its temptations and did things that one might perceive as reprehensible, things that some people might never forgive him for no matter how many years passed or how many good deeds he did to make it right. In Riku’s mind, he just wanted to know if there was hope for redeeming himself; he wanted to prove he wasn’t the mechanical monster incapable of empathy that Maleficent and Ansem claimed him to be. His goals were noble as everything he did was for his friends Kairi and Sora, and you could feel the light in his heart that illuminated with memories of a red-haired Princess of Heart and a brunette guardian of the Keyblade. He was their elder brother figure and thereby, it was an implicit duty that he protect and lead them. When they stepped out of his shadow and became autonomous, especially Sora, the one who looked up to him the most as a mentor on the trials of the world, it crushed the boy. He was no longer the protector or the leader that the other children of the islands made him out to be. This boy, wise and mature beyond his years, worked so hard for a decade to prove he was strong enough to keep them safe and make them happy; he tried to be the best version of himself to show that he was the man of the islands who could propel the next generation into a brighter future, one filled with prosperity and freedom to explore the worlds they so desperately wanted to see together. Similar to a parent losing their child to the inevitability of time as their nest became empty, the silver-haired teenager didn’t handle this transition well and didn’t know how to cope in his heart with that fact that Sora was a maturing young man who didn’t need him anymore. In the process of finding a way to cope with this loss and attain success, he was easily coerced by Maleficent and other practitioners of darkness to believe that Sora was a rival who wasn’t being mature enough to help save Kairi. The way those adversaries framed the narrative, Riku was lead to believe that Sora nonchalantly cast everything and everyone he ever knew aside for a talking dog who was a royal guard, a talking duck with a passion for magic, and a key-shaped sword, all so he could play the leader, protector, and hero for once. In short, Riku had lost his way and you both knew this. The guilt inside his heart literally ate him up inside and made him wish he didn’t even exist or even wish that he could never go home or see his friends to avoid anyone getting hurt anymore because of him. A small sense of hatred for the darkness and even a painful plea for someone or something to take it away from him so he could never use its power again was felt inside the teenager’s heart, and it nearly made your own heart break just to hear that desperation that you knew he would never express in words or deeds. He and the king didn’t know it, but at one time in your life, you knew exactly what the teenager felt because you had once hit rock bottom and were in his position. It wasn’t a fun feeling and in your situation, you believed you had to be alone to fix your mistakes rather than involving your friends. You believed involving them would only get someone hurt or killed, as you were facing darkness and its temptations in order to control a power you didn’t even know you had inside you. You also believed that erasing yourself from the equation was the answer, even if it meant never seeing your loved ones or home again in order to accept a merciful death or painful corruption by a power unlike any other. Accepting help every now and then as well as not bottling everything up inside your heart were lessons you learned the hard way, lessons you didn’t want this boy to take a decade or two to learn like you had. But out of respect for the teenager, you decided not to ask any more questions since you knew eventually, he would open up to you once he was more comfortable. That’s why you nodded to him without a word said before you urged him and Mickey to follow you, “Maybe we can discuss about this topic at a later time. For now, we need shelter to get proper rest. We have a long trek ahead if we wanna make it outta here.” 

“And where will we find shelter?” Mickey shouted from afar as he sprinted on his miniature legs to reach your side before you explained, “There are some areas of this realm that are somewhat safe from the Heartless. I say somewhat because they can always attack you at any time, but they won’t attack as frequently in these areas...You just have to know where to find them.” Making your way to a nearby crag, you hoisted yourself up the rocks with a clutch of the ledge and a push up onto your hands as you balanced on your palms, your lower body dangling for a few moments as you caught your breath. Swinging your leg around to create perfect momentum, you eventually found the correct speed and distance as your leg kicked itself onto the top of the peak. Rolling across the rocks as you made sure you weren’t on the edge, you crawled to all fours before Riku and Mickey stared at each other, shrugs and widened eyes of admiration at your drive to keep pushing forward exchanged between them. After catching your breath, you slithered towards the edge again while lowering a single hand down to Mickey with ragged pants, “O...Ok...Your turn to climb, your Majesty.” Pressing himself into the wall with his hands against the rocks, Riku offered his shoulders and back as a brace for his new friend to stand upon while the mouse scurried up from behind. With the weight of the king’s footwear digging into his back as he grunted harshly, Riku inhaled and exhaled with a steady pace as his heart rate increased. Still, the teenager did not falter in helping a king climb a steep cliff as every bit of strength in his body pumped adrenaline through his veins. Pushing Mickey up higher to reach the top, Riku felt a burden be lifted from his shoulders as you grabbed the king by the waist and plopped him down behind you before reaching a single palm down to help the teenager up. Backing away from the cliff a couple paces, Riku took a deep breath as he hopped around on tip-toes with muscled biceps pumping up and down by his sides before he sprinted to the wall. Up and down, his feet stomped the ground as his marches sounded like an army. But forward he marched as he came running before a grunt followed by shaky breathes came from the teenager. At once, you witnessed this boy claw his way up the wall as he dug his feet into the stones, his gloved hands acting as guides to pull him up. Even when he nearly took a steep fall after sliding down a crumbling foundation, he never gave up as he pressed on with sweat beading down his brow and veins protruding from his biceps. Eventually, a weight started to drag you down as a clap echoed when Riku’s gloved hand gripped yours, but digging your heels into the dirt, you managed to pull yourself to your knees before finally leaning on your haunches. With every heave of your body backwards with assistance from Mickey gripping your waist through your clothes, you managed to get Riku up the ledge as he pulled himself to his knees before standing tall. After everyone was accounted for, you continued forward across the cliff as you three balanced on a narrow platform that required outstretched arms and sharp reflexes to avoid a haphazard slip of the foot. With a final jump from one platform to another, you and the other two members of your party caught your breath before appearing at a small area emitting a pool of teal light no bigger than a spotlight’s circle hitting a stage floor. 

Sitting down on the ground, the two men followed suit as you announced, “This pool of light will heal any wound, restore all magic capabilities to you, and it can protect against the Heartless so long as you don’t stray too far from it. We should be safe here.” 

“How did you find this?” Riku questioned you as he reached a hand out to the light so its comforting rays could cure his heart and body of its ailments before you replied, “Everyone needs an escape route or a place to hide when times become tense or dangerous. Survivors always find a way to make things work.” 

“So, I take it Master Yami was the reason for you finding this place?” Mickey questioned with comforting eyes as your own gaze lowered to the ground and your hands clasped together against the gentleness of your lap. Pausing for a moment to collect your thoughts, your head lifted to face the mouse whose concern for you was much needed in a difficult time such as this as you nodded, “I had to make do my first few times in this realm. There wasn’t a clear map to follow and I didn’t have my powers of sensing creatures of darkness around me at the time. So I was at a major disadvantage for decades.” 

“But you made it. That’s all that matters now.” 

“Agreed, your majesty.” You answered back as you grinned back at the mouse and the teenager before you pat the ground while still remaining seated as your legs crossed in front of you, “Try to get some rest. We move out in a little while.”

“I’ll take the first watch.” Riku offered as he sat up straight even though his eyes indicated that exhaustion was very near before you shook your head with a motherly pat to his shoulder, “No, I’ll take the first watch. You and the king have been through a lot.”

“We’ll stay up together.” 

“No, you go ahead and rest. I’ll be fine.” 

“You sure?”

“Positive.” You nodded as Riku nodded back with a shrug, reluctantly lowering himself down to the ground on his side directly across from you while Mickey made himself comfortable in a fetal position from another spot. Laying down so his dominant arm curled under his head to cushion his neck, Riku aligned his hips with the cold ground as his legs suctioned together while his bangs fell into his eyes. Brushing the white strands away, Riku took one last look at you and then at Mickey before he was whisked away to his dreams with a soft sigh. 

When you were sure you were alone, you stared off into the distance of the realm as you propped your legs up in way that if you wanted to hug them to your chest, all it would take was a gentle wrap around the backs of your knees and a backwards tug towards you. Despite the fact that you wanted to curl into a ball and just disappear after all that transpired, you decided against curling in on yourself as your legs stayed out in front of you while a single arm dangled off one of your knees and the other arm balanced you as a sort of brace for the rest of your body. However, nothing could stop the tears from pouring down your face in soundless beads while you did everything in your power to avoid something as purifying as a sniffle or a hiccup out of common courtesy for the two companions you had sleeping near you, the night watcher, at the makeshift camp. Even when you knew without a shadow of a doubt that you wouldn’t be interrupted or seen, you still refused to cry. You had to be strong or else how could you call yourself a hero from the days of old? How could you be the example for the next generation of Keyblade wielders if you couldn’t even pull yourself together? The more you thought of this, the more the anxieties and the insecurities just kept racing as darkness swelled within you. 

Memories that were fresh and raw rushed your mind like a one-hundred foot tsunami, and it seemed like the waves kept pounding the beach that was your heart. With every image came a painful twist in your chest, and with every twist came a new tear down your cheeks. You had literally lost everything...Your home, your friends, y your family, the children who once called you ‘aunt’ or even ‘mom.’ You wanted to cry and why shouldn’t you be allowed to? Why should your feelings be dismissed while everyone else got to have theirs? Why should everyone else get a free pass in life while no one ever gave you a break? You had suffered in silence for long enough and deserved better; the people who knew you best and who knew your story believed that statement was true. But to cry now would be like throwing in the towel for you. You always hated it when you cried because you always believed it was a sign of weakness rather than a sign of purging negativity. Ever since you became a Keyblade wielder, you always believed you had to be the shoulder to cry on, the rock, the defender of the innocent, the leader. In a way, you believed you had to be perfect with no flaws whatsoever so that no enemy would see you sweat. You had to let people believe you were always fine so they wouldn’t coddle you and treat you like a defenseless creature who couldn’t defend herself or the light within all the worlds. Even after trying your hardest to put up a very convincing front for decades, being straightforward and honest for the most part except when it came to the nitty gritty of what resided in your heart, some people saw the cracks in your mask and knew you were just cheating yourself of some peace by hiding when you were hurt. When you were called out on it by a dear friend and fellow Keyblade wielder in your youth, utter exhaustion kicked in as you realized that your standards of what it mean to be a female and a Keyblade wielder were not only warped but also set at so high a bar that not even the best of the best could reach it. That’s when you started to care not of others’ opinions and just do your own thing; that’s when you started to fight back in your life by giving yourself a new purpose to work for: Protecting the light by learning about all the worlds and all the wonderful people in them. That’s why silent tears streamed down your visage as you let them fall, not even caring to wipe them away unless you believed Mickey or Riku were waking up only to find it was a false alarm. 

However, one thing just didn’t sit right with you. Riku asked if you could control darkness and you were honest in your response, remarking that you could control light and darkness together. When you asked why he wanted to know, you connected the dots even when he didn’t verbalize an implicit or explicit explanation for you and only chose silence as his new best friend. Riku wanted to learn how to control darkness from you if that was even possible for him to have some sense of closure and redemption. Given you were a strong Master who had mastered both powers equally without one overly consuming the other, you seemed to be the perfect candidate for a pupil like him who wanted to learn. There was just a few problems with such a request: 

1.) You were a Master who had failed the worlds and those you loved by not stopping Xehanort’s grand scheme from coming to fruition when you had the chance years prior. How could you ever be a great teacher to Riku when you couldn’t even do one job correctly? You had never been a full-time teacher to a full-time student and you had never trained a student about controlling darkness except for Terra, but only under strict supervision at Eraqus’s request (as he wanted the young man to learn how to tame it like some kind of wild animal that needed to be caged). It’s true that you taught Vanitas, Ven, Aqua, and Terra valuable lessons as a temporary instructor, but these were specific lessons catered to each student based on their strengths and the qualities they each needed to work on, battle techniques that you were a natural at as a well-rounded combatant. While you had decades of experience under your belt, there were just some things that Riku could not be taught when learning to control darkness and the things that you knew you could teach him, you didn’t think he would be ready to learn them now as he was too afraid of darkness to even attempt to face it so he could view that type of magic as an equal who would assist him in combat. 

2.) Riku had failed his friends and his home by casting them aside for the temptations of going to the dark side. How did you know that the teenager wouldn’t learn how to get stronger with such a powerful magic before turning on you and becoming another Xehanort? Sure, Riku had plenty of goodness in his heart that was proven by the way his heart shone with light whenever he remembered his friends, but he also had a predisposed seed for jealousy towards Sora planted in him by Maleficent and Ansem, Seeker of Darkness and a seed for self-doubt that was planted after his recent mistakes. The answer was you didn’t know, but while the future hadn’t been written yet and could still be changed, it didn’t mean that you wanted to take that risk to find out. 

As your heart beat loudly in your chest with an echoing drum in your ears to follow, your throat closed up with ragged breaths as your self-induced inferiority got the better of you. Tears streamed down your face and your body trembled as if you were freezing to death while you replayed the same question: Should I teach him what he wants to know or should I not? Even just asking yourself that question inwardly panicked you to no end. Again, you wanted to curl into a ball and disappear but you couldn’t. You were stuck in this realm and had to assist Riku and Mickey in escaping it, so you couldn’t just leave now. Even still, you felt as though you were going to faint the moment your vision started getting blurry while your cheeks reddened and your entire physique from head to toe flashed like a strobe light between cold and hot at the same time. Darkness clouded your current field of sight as you tried to use any and all magic spells to cool off, heat up, or throw some water onto your face to snap yourself out of this waking nightmare, but no relief came to aid you. Instead, you wallowed in your tortured psyche as your heart bore the weight of a thousand painful lifetimes for what seemed like an eternity. However, it seemed as though you weren’t alone in your dive to the heart as your feet fell onto a glowing circle. Painted in hues of mint green, rose gold, and silver, an image of you dangling in the air with your eyes closed as you held your ancient weapon came into view as the water receded from the stained glass. A silver, four-pointed diamond, something you would normally notice on a playing card, interlocked with a silver star was the internal decoration of one circle that lay by your portrait, but this one was slightly larger than the others as it represented you and Xehanort as well as the bond you shared as spouses. In the meanwhile, other tiny circles that lay near your portrait contained the following: a golden crescent moon, a copper bear and blade smith’s hammer, a golden Mark of Mastery symbol, a book with purple and red flowers on the front cover, a bronze flame, and a square in front of two hollow lines that created a cross. All these other symbols represented the friends from your youth, and they were very near and dear to you as they were always held in your heart. And out of the shadows and the mist that surrounded you came a gentle hand to save you from the suffocating darkness that sought to drown you in sorrow, just as they did when you went through your second dive to the heart and they came to your aid in a battle where you nearly died. 

Grasping tight to your palm, the gentle hand soon connected to a gentle face that was aged by the effects of time and long-term exposure to the corruption of darkness. While this man was the same age, as you and him shared the same birthday, he was a polar opposite to you. He was dark and you were light; he was male and you were female; he was an ember and you were a flora. Even as you were two sides of the same coin that never got along up until a certain event changed the both of you, he was a part of you and you a part of him whether you two liked that fact or not. Harmony was always evident whenever twins worked together, no matter the distance between them, and with you and this man, that statement definitely applied. But after not seeing this man for ten years, it was a welcome sight that brought tears to your eyes as you gasped with a smile attempting to form on your face, “M...Master Yami?”

There he was in his glory, Master Yami. A famed Keyblade wielder who had once tasted darkness and was drunken by its power and corruption until you came to his aid, Yami had certainly made up for his evil deeds of the past by helping the innocent lives he hurt with his quest for power and revenge against you and all those who followed you. Just as your friends and family had a piece of your heart, Yami did too, but unlike the others, there was more to Yami than met the eye as he held more of your heart within himself. With brown irises kissed by flecks of gold to create a dazzling heterochromia, freckles dotted the man’s ivory cheeks as jet black curls (even darker than Eraqus’s own hair of black) fell to about an inch below his chin with a few gray hairs peppered evenly around while a widow’s peak sat proudly on his head. But the most telling signs of darkness’s hold on Yami was the jagged scar of navy blue and crimson veins that protruded from his neck like a bump on a road if someone ran their fingers over it. However, since he aged well, his scars were barely visible as he had clean facial hair that resembled salt and pepper in the form of a mustache and a full beard. Upon his frame sat a hooded coat with a large silver zipper and long pants that were the same hue as his hair, but underneath this coat was Keyblade armor secured onto his dominant arm with a sparkling disk that mirrored lava, which was the opposite of your dominant arm. Hues of fire were painted onto the metal as it looked like his whole arm was ignited until the armor formed what resembled dragon claws at the ends of his fingers so that if he was ever without a Keyblade, he could still at least fight back with his bare hands. His high-collared tunic, a rich charcoal gray like ashes, was simple enough as bronze embroidery decorated the cloth, which started to resemble the asymmetry of the scars on his neck on the outer edges closest to the backs of his knee caps as the cloth ripped every which way without any clear pattern or reason behind it. 

“Hello, Master Aoihan, or should I say Cloudy Eyes?” Yami answered with eyes that wanted to shed tears as well but refused to as he was determined to be your rock. You had always been there for him even when he used to be cruel and view you as a rival that needed to be destroyed. Now that you two were adults, Yami decided to be there for you, especially when he could feel how forlorn and morose you became by the events that occurred prior to his arrival in your dive to the heart. With a leap as you collided into each other’s arms, you and Yami never wanted to separate as the black-haired man brought his arms tighter around your frame while your fingers gripped his shirt. Thick curls and stubble tickled your skin as you laughed in Yami’s arms, but it brought a sense of comfort to you that no one else could provide you now as you savored his scent, which was like smelling smoked and salted meat over an open fire. In the same way, Yami too had not seen you in ten years either and desperately wanted to be able to hold his friend in his arms again, given the fact that you had asked him to do you a large favor in the event he felt you perish in the Realm of Darkness. He never thought he’d see you again and your departure was rather abrupt in his opinion. He believed you should’ve stayed to help protect the worlds from the shadows, but while he didn’t agree with your self-induced exile, he still respected your decision since he knew you needed time alone after failing your mission big time and if exile to that forsaken place would heal your heart of its grief, then so be it. But you two missed each other more than you two realized, so it was no wonder the embrace lasted longer than normal. However, there was a time when you two had to let go as you both had so many things to say and so many questions to ask each other. 

Taking a step back from Yami while he did the same, you two sat down together on the stained glass circle that was your heart as he used his hands as braces to prop himself up while his legs lay flat in front of him, causing him to resemble a person getting sun on a beach. In the meantime, you sat with your legs propped up so you could recline on one arm and rest your other arm on one knee cap. Staring at each other for several minutes, you and Yami gathered your statements together before you went first, “How is everyone?”

With widening eyes, Yami lowered his head and closed his eyes for a few moments before lifting his head up again with kindness gleaming in his irises, “Your daughter is a good student of mine. Her progress is slow and steady when it comes to controlling the darkness, but she’s advanced quickly thanks to your beginner and intermediate training of her when she was younger.” 

“I had to prepare in case she inherited the ability to wield the Keyblade since I knew darkness and light were both in her heart.” 

“Well, your meticulous calculations paid off. It hasn’t been easy for her given your decade-long absence, so she has a lot of bottled anger that often reveals itself during advanced training when I push her too hard...But she’s getting better at controlling herself so she and I don’t get hurt.” 

“That’s good. I was always worried she would be corrupted by darkness...” You sighed deeply as a gentle grin graced your face before Yami laughed, “Though as far as magic goes, it’s not my cup of tea. I leave that to Yensid and Merlin...To answer your other questions, Natila and her daughter are doing fine as well; they’re staying with Master Yensid for the time being and the girl is under the tutelage her mother and the former Master. Yensid has been watching the worlds from afar by reading the stars and sending King Mickey on reconnaissance on his behalf.”

“And King Ansem the Wise, how is he in his kingdom of Radiant Garden?” 

“His kingdom has fallen and he and his people along with it...There’s nothing left of it now except for a world of darkness known as Hollow Bastion.” Yami explained as you gasped, sad to think that a good friend of yours from your youth would be dead along with his kingdom and his people that he worked so hard to protect. Sensing your despair, Yami clapped a gentle hand on your shoulder as he grinned, “However, I have reason to believe Ansem is still alive. I can feel his heart, albeit surrounded by darkness. If anything, he might be in this realm too.” 

“Just like Aqua.” You sighed sadly as Yami took his turn to be shocked as his eyes widened and his mouth fell ajar, “So you found one of Eraqus’s students here in this realm, and they were still alive?” 

“Yes, we were traveling together for a while but a Demon Tide separated us and took Aqua further into the realm where King Mickey, Riku, and I can’t reach her.” You recited the tale as the memories, still agitating your mind with pokes of regret and grief, produced bubbling sadness in you that didn’t go unnoticed by your twin as he sighed deeply with closed eyes while he pinched the bridge of his nose to stop his tears only to find that a single bead had slid down his face to crash against the glass of your heart, “As a part of you, I can feel your pain and it kills me to see you this way. I’m so sorry.” 

“Why should you be sorry? I’m the one that failed my duty to protect Eraqus’s students and the worlds if something terrible should happen. I may have a high title but I’m not worthy of it now.” 

“Oh, don’t even go there, Han!” Yami huffed under his breath with the volume of a booming dragon ready to breathe fire as he snapped up onto his feet and nearly stomped your heart with his booted feet in a motion that nearly cracked the glass. While this type of reaction normally would’ve startled you, it brought forth no reaction from you as you were too far gone into your psyche to take any compliments now or even rise to your feet to face your other half. Lowering your gaze to your heart, you clutched your chest with tears pooling in your eyelids as your fingers tugged your necklace with an iron grip, a pained tone falling from your lips in synchronization with the water sliding down your cheeks, “Yami, you were right...Every nasty thing you ever said to me when you were controlled by darkness, every insult and every chip that you took away from my self-confidence...They were true. I was never worthy of this weapon or this task, so why would the Keyblade choose me?”

“You have a strength of heart and a light like no other I’ve seen aside from the boy they call Sora. Even when faced with all these tribulations and all this pain, it’s true that sometimes you lost your way and sometimes you fell to darkness and got drunk off its power, sometimes even hurt people because of it or got yourself hurt. Sometimes you’ve even failed in ways you think are irredeemable...” Yami recounted as he sauntered over to you with the quietness of a father attempting to comfort their child. Crashing onto his aging knees as the glass echoed under his weight, Yami gripped the hand that clutched your necklace tightly in his own gargantuan palms before one of his hands brushed through your hair, “But you must’ve figured out why the Keyblade chooses people to protect the light from the darkness by now; you’ve been a Master for decades so you can’t tell me you don’t know...”

Lifting your head up slightly to meet his gaze, you watched as Yami continued his statements without any faltering hesitation in his tone while he comforted you still, “You have nearly died in twice in your life but the Keyblade and the light in your heart saved you every single time. You must’ve been chosen for a good reason if that’s the case, so don’t ever say I was right. I was wrong because you’re more worthy of that weapon than you believe; you have never played the victimized damsel because you’re a survivor who has fought against any challenge.” 

“But what makes you think I can teach Riku anything? There are just some sort of things you can’t teach someone when it comes to controlling a power like that. And anyways, Riku is too scared of the darkness because he hurt people with it.” You questioned with tears gleaming in your eyes as you clutched your necklace with both hands so your hands were clasped into one fist near the center of your chest while Yami continued to cradle your cold hands in his warm ones, “And that’s why there needs to be a mutual codependence between master and pupil with yourself and Riku. You have walked the path of the light and the path of the darkness. But neither one alone suited you. The only reason why you beat me and saved me from myself was by taking a path where both powers were used as equal allies that complimented you. You have always been half of something: half light and darkness, half blue-blood...But when you embraced that quality and accepted yourself for who you were, you were able to become a greater Master than anyone could’ve imagined you would be.” 

“I want to teach Riku. I really do because I see his potential just as Terra saw it. Terra always had an eye for seeing the best qualities in people; it was almost like a six sense destined for the future. But I don’t want another Xehanort to be created by me teaching Riku. I don’t want to put the worlds in more danger by helping him.” 

“You honestly don’t believe that. I know you too well to know you don’t expect the worst in people. Besides, depending on how one is taught, they’ll choose for themselves what is right and wrong because you will have taught them the difference in a way where they don’t feel over-sheltered and solely dependent on others to fix their problems or thrown to the wolves to fend for themselves.” Yami recounted as your face contorted as if you had been offended before you started to open your mouth to protest with a single sound escaping your throat. However, the male held a finger to your pink lips as an attempt to shush you as he shook his head, “And before you argue, answer me this. If you did believe that, then why would you help him get back to the Realm of Light? You have nothing more to lose, so why panic yourself over a hypothetical that hasn’t even come to pass? Your heart doesn’t lie, and it shows me that you believe Riku has changed for the better.” 

In this moment, it was when you realized Yami did have a point. Riku had done some bad things that he couldn’t even forgive himself for. But he wasn’t beyond all hope. Unlike Xehanort, your beloved, Riku wanted to change and make things right. It was similar to Terra ten years prior, when he realized how powerful the hold of darkness was on him. He wanted to make things right with the people he hurt, especially his father figure Eraqus and even his friends Aqua and Ven. Ever since you knew Terra, you tried to help him control his darkness under Eraqus’s watchful gaze, and as he aged, he started to improve except in one quality that you knew was a sure-fire way of unlocking his rage: The fear of losing. Riku had his own fears, and that was the fear of being forgotten. Xehanort had fear of his own, all centered around not learning the truths of the worlds or making a difference for the greater good. In your youth, you had your own fear of losing the ones you loved because you weren’t strong enough to save them. That fear was still ever-present, and was proven to be correct in presenting insecurities to you as you felt like you had lost everything once Eraqus, Xehanort, and their students disappeared. However, you never gave up, even when you were sure you would. Just when you were about to give up, someone always came to your aid and urged you to take back your life. Perhaps you were supposed to find Mickey, Aqua, and Riku in this realm. Aqua made a choice and was sacrificed to the realm as a consequence. Even if you did try to save her, the result might’ve been the same. But you couldn’t live in what-if’s. You had to focus on one question: What will you do now? Riku needed a teacher and you needed a student. You both lost your confidence due to all you faced, so maybe together, you could give each other confidence by depending on each other for help. 

With a long sigh and scowl even though your lips held back a laugh, you eventually had to release sound from your throat as you grunted, “Oh! I hate it when you’re right.” 

“I’m only right because I know you, just as you know me.” Yami smirked as he lightly tapped his fist against your cheek for a faux punch while you did the same to his shoulder before he hopped off the ground. Grabbing your hands in both of his, Yami yanked upwards to his chest as you hopped on your feet as well before you faced each other. Thanking the man for his help, Yami gave you a silent nod before he cupped your cheek in his hand while you sighed deeply with your eyes closed. Fluttering your eyes open again to gaze lovingly at your twin, you gripped the hand he had against your cheek so you could clutch it tighter and keep it always planted to your skin before he whispered, “I’m not always far, sister. Should you ever need me again, I’ll always be here in your heart. But you can always summon me and I’ll always answer the call.”

“I know you will, brother.” You nodded as Yami’s hand still held your face before he plopped something into your free hand. With a gentle smile, Yami eventually let go of your face as he took a step back before he turned his back to you and entered a flash of white light that seemed to be a portal. Smiling at Yami as he departed, you looked down at your hand to find a silver summoning pendant with a wolf and butterfly motif that hung from several interlocking chains. With a small chuckle under your breath as you sighed in relief, you were soon greeted with a flash of white light before you returned to your current state of sitting and watching over Mickey and Riku at the camp as you looked down at your hand. Sure enough, it wasn’t just a dream as the item Yami handed you in your dive to the heart was sitting right there on your skin, gleaming comfortably with a warmth that was as comforting as it was beautiful. Flashing a small smile at the item, you secured it to your person as you tied it to your garments. 

However, a small sound snapped you to your feet as your hypervigilance scanned the area. Finding no threat of the Heartless in the air, you believed that maybe the source of the distress was within your camp as you looked at your comrades. While the king was sleeping peacefully, Riku was tossing and turning his head from left to right as whispering pleas for Ansem and the darkness to leave him alone left his throat. Just watching him be tormented by his inner demons was enough to break your heart as you rushed to the teenager to wake him up with only gentleness in your tone and gestures. Before you could do so, the nightmare soon ended as Riku snapped himself awake with a gasp, “Sora! Kairi!” With his arms bracing him up as his legs lay flat in front of him, Riku panted raggedly as sweat beaded his brow and his bangs hung in his eyes. As you stood there with concern in your eyes and pain in your heart at his plight, the question of whether to assist him or not raced through your head. On one hand, Riku was just a child who was frightened and needed a motherly presence to comfort him. On the other hand, you didn’t want to emasculate the teenager and make him feel inferior or embarrassed by coming to his rescue when it was unwarranted. That’s why you chose to wait until Riku noticed you before you acted as you watched him get up to pace around the light-filled spot for a moment. With his fingers clutching every keratin-laced fiber of his hair, Riku eventually lessened his iron grip as he fussed with his hair to make himself look presentable so no one would see him like this as he whispered brokenly, “What’s wrong with me?” He was so perplexed and paranoid that he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know whether he should ask for help or suffer in silence. It took a bigger person to admit when they needed help. But after years of always being the leader who had the right answers, Riku started to fall back into habit only to find he didn’t have all the answers. He wanted to tell you and Mickey how he felt. He wanted to scream, cry, and just otherwise express himself so he could purge the pains of his heart outward in ways that it wouldn’t hurt anyone. But the more he paced with insecurities pounding him down, the more pain Riku felt until your gentle voice cut the tension with a matter-of-fact statement, “Absolutely nothing is wrong with you.” 

Widened teal irises snapped to you as Riku resembled a deer in the headlights, causing you both even more pain as you two stared at each other. For Riku, he felt ashamed that he couldn’t step up and be a man who could handle the traumas dealt to him. For you, you felt sorrow at watching an innocent teenager be torn apart by his own self-doubt and his past transgressions. That’s why you remained seated where you were on the ground to give Riku the opportunity to come to you if he wished, which eventually caused an internal flutter in your heart as the teenager elected to sit by you, albeit in silence. After a few moments, you eventually placed a gentle hand on Riku’s shoulder as you asked, “Couldn’t sleep?” 

“Yeah. Just too worried about my friends to want to relax, you know?” Riku shrugged as a forced laugh escaped his shoulders before you nodded with your own laugh, “Yeah...” Then, with a more serious urgency in your voice, you never let eye contact leave Riku’s as he stared back at you too while you mused aloud, “Listen, you asked me if I could control light and darkness, and I said I could. When I asked why you wanted to know, you didn’t answer me...I’ve given what you’ve said a lot of thought and I decided that I think I know what you need.” 

“And that would be?”

“Someone to teach you how to control the darkness.” You replied as Riku’s neutral gaze turned into a morose one peppered with hopelessness, “I don’t think that would be a good idea. I’d just hurt people again, so I never want to use it.”

“Well, I’m not gonna feed you crap-filled lies, so I’ll be straight-up with you: Darkness and light are both part of a human heart whether you like it or not. Stray too far to one side and you lose yourself in thinking with black-and-white absolutes. Try to take one side out of your heart, and your end will be inevitable...It’s how you use them is what’s the key. Right now, your light is your ally and your equal. But your darkness? Now, it’s an unruly pet that chooses when it wants to work for you and when it wants to work against you. You’re falling obedient to it, and that’s why you’re having these nightmares.” With a forlorn expression as he stared at the ground, Riku didn’t even have to verbally admit that you were right because he already knew. However, you surprised him by giving him hope as you brushed his bangs away from his eyes and cupped his cheek with your dominant hand while the mother in you was awakened, “But these nightmares will fade once the darkness sees you as a formidable equal and ally, I promise.” 

“You say this as if you know what I feel.” 

“That’s because I do. And I can help you if you want me to teach you what I know and let you learn the rest for yourself. But only if you want me to.” You explained as you extended the invitation for Riku to take while his eyes squinted suspiciously at you as if he couldn’t even believe what he just heard, “What?”

“Riku, you need a teacher and I need a student; it’s a perfect situation for us. There’s hope for you controlling the darkness and if you want me to teach you how I conquered it for myself, maybe something I have to say or a test I give you will trigger something in you that can help you.” 

“But why would you want to help me? After everything I did...”

“The first step to conquering the darkness is acceptance...Accepting yourself as you are and not what you aspire to be, accepting your life situation, accepting your life purpose...It gets rid of insecurity and self-doubt, thereby ridding you of one piece of your darkness. Don’t take decades to learn that like I did; I’m saving you the pain and the trouble by helping you learn that now.” You comforted the teenager as you moved your hands to Riku’s shoulders before pulling him into a hug in such a way that he wasn’t startled enough to push you away. Although he was awkward due to not reciprocating the hug right away, Riku still appreciated the motherly gesture as he eventually warmed up to it and gave you a tight embrace back while you whispered in his ear, “You will conquer this darkness, Riku. I’ll make sure of that. Your past is causing you pain and making you doubt if you should even exist. But I promise, I’ll do everything in my power to help you if you want me to.” 

“You really want to teach me?” Riku asked as he continued to hug you while he felt your nod against his shoulder, cementing his belief that you were a benevolent entity as he smiled, “Then I’m honored to be your student.” After letting go of each other, you smiled at the silver-haired young man before you remarked, “As I’m honored to be your teacher...Let’s get moving. We need to make tracks if you want to get back to your friends.” 

“I’ll get the king up.” Riku offered as you thanked him for his help before he shook the monarch gently with a hushed tone that indicated urgency as the male mouse nodded sleepily and yawned with his arms over his head and his eyes closed before he sauntered over to you alongside the teenager. Making sure everyone’s wellbeing was satisfactory and that their whereabouts were accounted for, you nodded your head with a polite smile before you asked them to follow you while you led the way, causing Mickey and Riku to smile at you with a small nod as they obeyed you. 

Throughout your life, you had many titles. In your youth, you were just Aoihan. Then, you became Aoihan the student and the adoptive sister of Eraqus. Years later, you would become Master Aoihan, beloved of Xehanort. You were even known as Auntie Han, even Mom, by the students of your adoptive sibling and your beloved as well as your own daughter. But you never though in your wildest dreams that you would have a student of your own and be known as Aoihan the teacher. However, Riku seemed to be a promising student and he believed you were a promising instructor. Yami was right in the fact that if you taught Riku everything you knew and didn’t keep secrets from him or lie to him, then he might grow to be a great Keyblade wielder who could master light and darkness like you did decades ago. This sparked determination in you to finish what Terra started by teaching Riku, just as you taught the brunette earth wielder when he was a little boy. But it also made you remember your vow and your duty as a Master to keep the worlds safe, a mission that Aqua and the others you lost attempted to do but paid the ultimate price for. However, you were still alive and still had your rank, so you had to step up to lead by example. So with your head held high, you worked tirelessly to get Riku and Mickey back home as you combated the creatures of the dark realm to find safe passage to the Realm of Light. It wasn’t going to be an easy task, getting out of this realm or teaching someone how to conquer the darkness. But who ever said it would be? Anything that said it was easy was prone to folly. No matter how daunting the task, though, you would meet it with swift vigor in your heart and soul, which fluttered joyfully like a butterfly’s ascent, and the tremendous strength of a thousand wolves. That was your task. You were Master Aoihan, teacher of Riku and savior of the worlds. And this time, you would not fail.


	3. Ardyn Izunia x Fem! Princess! Reader - Maleficent AU Headcanons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Greetings, everyone. Since I love Maleficent and Final Fantasy XV so much, I decided to combine the two together into one AU (provided this hasn’t been done before by anyone else). 
> 
> Please enjoy the long headcanons and as always, requests and comments are welcome. 
> 
> P.S. I don’t own Final Fantasy XV or Maleficent so credit will be given where credit is due since I don’t want to plagiarize another’s work.

* Ardyn the Healer...That’s what they called him back in the old days, when he was a carefree and boisterous man. Actually, he wasn’t a man, but a dark fae, one of the most powerful in all the land.  
He had a younger brother and a former fiancé, fae just like him albeit on the light side, but his brother withdrew from him in fear when Ardyn gave into temptation and killed his fiancé in a blind rage as the rumors went. However, everything wasn’t what it seemed because an evil, human king named Bahamut had found a way to curse Ardyn with darkness for all eternity, all so he could help the humans, especially the emperor of a neighboring kingdom, take the dark fae’s home by force. 

* These actions made Ardyn bitter and cold as he closed off his realm to all humans and was at constant war with Bahamut and Emperor Aldercapt. From that moment on, Ardyn was the sole king of the Moors after his brother, King Somnus the Mystic, withdrew (in order to mate with humans and have a family of his own, even as Ardyn continued to protect his brother and his partial-fae offspring). And although his people loved him and wished he would turn back to the side of light, he was feared for generations by the fairy folk and humans alike. 

* It wasn’t long before Bahamut had announced the birth of a daughter, a human that Ardyn so desperately wanted to get his revenge upon so he could hurt the malevolent king by destroying all he held dear. At the birthday celebration at the kingdom, several fae came as representatives to Ardyn’s kingdom to pay respects to the warrior king by gifting magical abilities to his daughter. However, Ardyn soon crashed the party and cursed the baby girl to fall into an eternal coma that could only be awakened by true love’s kiss before the first crescent moon that was prophesized to appear on her eighteenth birthday. To add more insult to injury, a crescent moon mark would burn itself into her skin the night before the curse became complete and would continue to burn until she fell into the deep sleep. 

* To keep Princess (Name) safe until the time she became eighteen, King Bahamut entrusted his daughter to the kinder fae in the hopes that they would raise her to be a good queen. With King Regis the Just (Ardyn’s half-fae nephew through Somnus), Clarus, and Cor raising the girl, partial-fae Noctis and other partial faes, woodland creatures, and humans such as Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio (even Iris, Aranea, Cindy, and Talcott) eventually became fast friends with the human girl. Despite the anatomical differences, she never saw or treated them any differently. However, Ardyn and his companions always watched the girl from afar, picking up the slack for the Moorish caretakers whenever they fell behind. 

* On one family outing, (Name) wandered off from the fairies to follow Lunafreya, who was now in the form of a white dog that you called Pyrna and who was also a companion of Ardyn’s after he saved the two humans from a soldier from the Empire, a neighboring kingdom that always tried to kill the former royal siblings in the past and who tried to actively ally with Bahamut in order to destroy the Moors. 

* That’s when you bumped right into Ardyn as he was healing a woodland creature who had become injured by Bahamut’s soldiers setting fire to them. Turning around to meet your gaze with the slow movements of someone who was startled, Ardyn towered over you as he straightened his posture to resemble a regal king. Immediately, Ravus (in the form of a black dog you called Umbra) quit scratching his ear to watch the scene before him as Lunafreya playfully bit his ear while giving a lupine grin with white teeth bared. You were only a little child, maybe the age of a kindergartner, but that didn’t stop you from smiling at Ardyn as his yellow eyes slowly changed back to green before he addressed you solemnly, shooing you away with his hand as if you were a pest, “Go home, child.” When you didn’t heed his warning, he growled at you like a wild animal as his face became grotesque. At once, onyx liquid painted his face and his eyes became a clouded mess of gold while his skin transitioned into a deathly porcelain shade. Nevertheless, you reached out to touch his face as he shuddered at your touch, surprised a human wouldn’t be afraid of his appearance post-curse. Most people saw his face and started to scream as they ran for the hills. But you...you reached out and touched his face as if he was nothing more than another fae family member (which he was thanks to Somnus, Regis, and Noctis as he was Noctis’s great uncle according to the sleep partial fae’s stories of his great uncle when Ardyn was a benevolent healer king). Touched by your sudden act of kindness, Ardyn’s icy expression melted away within seconds as he actually smiled genuinely for the first time in ages, “Watch this, child.” That was when he spirited the prettiest flower of your favorite color and type into his hand before placing it behind your ear. Then giving a small whistle to Lunafreya, he asked her to return you home as she nodded in her canine form, winking at her brother before she allowed you to grab her fur so she could guide you through the woods. In the same breath, Ravus gave a sly look to Ardyn with narrowed canine eyes before the man set his fedora on his head while he hissed, “Oh, shut up, Ravus. The girl means nothing to me. I just didn’t want to scare a child and have to deal with the drama of the other fae coming after me, that’s all.” If Ravus was in human form, he would just roll his eyes with his hands crossed over his chest as he gave an ‘mmm-hmm.’ But since he wasn’t, he simply followed his master back to the Moors. 

* Over the years, Lunafreya and Ravus became a constant part of your childhood, constantly lending a notebook to you so you could writing notes to Ardyn, which they gave to the dark fae so he could write notes back to you. The canine siblings would even play tag and other kinds of games with you and they would even include the other fae, woodland, and human children too (for they knew Ardyn was a different man back then and because Ardyn allowed your human friends to come along since they were only children). 

* At last, the innocence and carefree nature of your childhood came to an end as you blossomed with graceful beauty and regality into a beautiful young woman. Even Ardyn couldn’t help but notice your beauty as he was always never too far away. But as you grew older and developed an adventurer’s spirit, you wished to explore the Moors, for you had always heard stories about it from your adoptive fae family when you were a child, but you had never gotten the opportunity to see it for yourself. 

* However, while Imperial and royal soldiers were patrolling the Moors in order to find ways to attempt to tear it down to get to Ardyn and the numerous material riches of the kingdom, you got caught in the crossfires after being mistaken for Ardyn, who had a hefty bounty on his head. You would have been seriously hurt or killed had Ravus and Lunafreya not been changed by the dark fae into a doppelgänger of a daemon to distract the men. In that instant, Ardyn scooped you into his arms and carried you into the Moors to make sure you weren’t hurt, but once the coast was clear, Ardyn didn’t want to send you home just yet, not without letting you see his home for yourself after the many times you begged him in the scribbles you made in the notebook. But more than that, he was curious as to how a human would react to his home and to the creatures within. 

* Immediately noticing the multitude of colors and sounds in the Moors once Ardyn turned you loose by releasing you from his cradling gestures, you couldn’t contain your excitement as you explored the dark fae’s home, dancing in the lakes and on the grass to your heart’s content. At the same time, Lunafreya and Ravus reported back to Ardyn as he transformed them back to humans so they could introduce themselves in person, something they always wished they could do in regards to their friendship with you. Surprised to learn your favorite childhood pets were actually former human royalty turned shapeshifters at Ardyn’s command, you eventually calmed your nerves by giving them each a hug as they greatly welcomed the warm affections. Afterwards, to make sure you always had a way to remember them even when they weren’t near as well as track you should you ever become lost or scared, the siblings each gave you a necklace charm so you would have something for the plain chain around your neck: From Lunafreya, you were gifted a sylleblossom charm (since it was her favorite flower) and from Ravus, you were gifted an amethyst charm (to match one of his heterochromatic irises). 

* Once these gifts were exchanged, Ravus was tasked with taking you home, but before departing with him, you asked permission of the dark fae king, seeking his approval to return to the Moors. And without even a moment’s hesitation, he allowed it as you grinned and wished him a lovely evening before linking arms with Ravus so he could escort you back. Leaning in towards Ardyn with a closed-mouth smirk as her hands linked behind her back, Lunafreya didn’t even have to say anything as Ardyn slapped his palm against his forehead with a sigh, “What did I get myself into?” 

* “Face it, your majesty, you love her more than you’ll admit.” Lunafreya grinned before Ardyn shook his head, “But she’ll never love me, because I’m the one who cursed her, all out of revenge for her father. If she ever finds out, she’ll never forgive me.” However, Lunafreya was quick to comfort her master as she grasped his cheek in her palm, “Stay strong and have faith. If she is as pure as she appears, then I have no doubt she’ll forgive you.” With those words, Ardyn was able to keep up his facade as the ruler of the Moors, never once letting it slip that he was the one who cursed you when you were only a newborn. 

* For the next few months after Ardyn saved you, you visited the Moors and even brought your friends along. You even convinced Ardyn to join in at times, once asking him to teach you how to dance and how to fight with a sword so you could defend yourself the next time anyone tried to hurt you. He even once helped you during a water fight in the lake with your friends by controlling the element so your friends would be drenched. But as your eighteenth birthday came closer, Ardyn worried that your curse would remain unbroken as you had no suitors. He even tried to take the magic away but in this realm, spells were not broken by the caster but by the rules dictated by the magic itself. Only true love’s kiss could save you and Ardyn had to hope that someone could save you. He figured that wouldn’t be him since he cursed you in the first place and besides, what human in their right mind would love a dark fae?

* Nevertheless, he did his best to soften the blow of what he did years ago by allowing you full access to the Moors, even offering to let you stay there until the end of your human days if you so chose. And the more time he spent with you, the more fond he became of his little human. It was almost as if Aera herself had poured her heart and soul into you in order to give Ardyn a second chance at love, and this only made the dark fae like you more. 

* Once when the fae paid respects to a special tree in the Moors one day every year, you participated in the ceremony as well but asked Ardyn about the significance of the tree. That’s when he told you that it was his and Aera’s favorite tree before she was taken from him by her untimely passing. However, he seemed greatly saddened by the stories so you never brought it up anymore since you didn’t want to intentionally cause him pain. However, his heart seemed lighter upon confessing the secrets of his first love with you, which only made his trust in you grow. 

* However, tragedy was soon to strike as your darkest secrets were revealed by a crescent moon marking that appeared on your arm the night before your eighteenth birthday. You had never received such a marking before but it felt as if you were branded by fire, as it brought forth a scream from your room. Immediately, your fae friends came to your aid as all four males piled into the room. Immediately, Ignis and Gladio told the whole story as Noctis and Prompto urged the two to stay quiet on behalf of Ardyn. However, the elder faes believed you had a right to know the truth since you only had one night left until you fell into the coma. Asking Noctis if he knew since he was Ardyn’s great nephew, he had to admit he and Prompto knew but kept the secret because Ardyn asked them to because he didn’t want to cause you any more pain than he already had (as he regretted his past choice to harm you to get to Bahamut). Upon hearing that, you didn’t want to believe that the dark fae who loved you and who you loved would do such a wicked thing! 

* Turning from your friends as you rushed out of the house into the cold night, you made it as far as Aera’s tree before you broke down crying, hugging yourself for warmth and comfort before a tender squeeze of your shoulder and equally tender voice called out to you, “What has you in tears, my dear (Name)? And what are you doing out here at this time of night? You’ll catch cold if you don’t get warm soon.” Looking up to see it was Ardyn, you turned around fully as he wiped your tears away with his thumbs before you whispered, “Iggy and Gladio told me that you cursed me to an eternal slumber unless true love’s kiss broke the spell. This brand on my arm is proof of this spell...Noct and Prom even confirmed it but said they decided not to tell me because you asked them not to out of regret.” Revealing the marking on your arm as your whispers turned into strangled cries, you confronted Ardyn with this knowledge, “Did you do this to me? Did you curse me as an infant?” 

* “(Name), please let me explain-“ Ardyn started as he reached his hand out to your face again before you slapped it away and pulled from him. Sniffling as you breathed hard to avoid sobbing on the ground, you hissed at the dark fae as you pointed an accusatory finger at him, “Don’t explain! You just confirmed it...” Then, finding a nearby chocobo in the realm, you made your way to the exit as Ardyn asked where you were going. When you told him you were going to break this curse with your father’s help, he was utterly crushed since he knew he had failed you. 

* That’s when he desperately chased after you with his canine companions and your friends in tow, fearful of what Bahamut might do to you or his people. He had to make this right; he had to prove how much he cared for you. 

* Upon returning home, your father angrily locked you in a room as he searched for possible suitors in his kingdom to administer the curse-breaking kiss since time was ticking. He didn’t care if you loved the men or not; he just wanted to spite Ardyn and do everything in his power to destroy the Moors with Emperor Aldercapt’s help. But all the while you spent in the room thinking to yourself, you wished you hadn’t retreated from Ardyn. He looked so scared and torn, green eyes filling with tears, when you ran from him in your own tears at how he callously cursed you with magic when you were a defenseless baby. If you had just let him explain, maybe you would understand why he did it. But after seeing how your father was so callous to his own men and to you, you believed you knew the reason for yourself. 

* Taking a big risk while your father was away into the afternoon of your birthday, you escaped from the room to return to the Moors as you ran to the forest to look for your Ardyn. However, a woozy feeling came over you as you clutched your head, swaying to and fro as you watched the moon rise into the sky. As your arm continued to burn with the pain of a thousand white-hot Suns while the crescent moon marking increased in size, black blanketed your vision as you collapsed to the grass.

* As Ardyn went on ahead of the group, he eventually screeched to a halt as he noticed you, crumbled in the fetal position on the ground. Upon seeing your peaceful form, his heart panged deeply, as if it had been torn from his chest only to be squeezed until it crumbled to dust. As he glimpsed at every memory of how you fell into the magic coma, he could feel himself grow dizzy as he clutched his forehead before he knelt to the ground, every second of seeing you reminding him of when he found Aera dead. Muttering pleas of ‘no, please, not her...not again’ to himself as he clutched his chest, Ravus and Lunafreya rushed over to check on their master upon seeing you unconscious before he shook his head while he gave a self-deprecating chuckle to the air, “I did this to her...and now like Aera, she’s gone. My curse ran its course and now all I feel is pain.” 

* Gasping upon seeing you, your friends couldn’t contain their tears as they lowered their heads in respect for you before Ardyn cradled you into his chest. Stroking your hair from your face so he could gaze upon it better, Ardyn shed several tears that dripped onto your cheeks before he buried his face into your neck as he sobbed, “I’m so sorry, (Name). I only ever meant to hurt Bahamut for cursing me with darkness but I suppose he was right to do so, for I really am a monster...But you were the light who came into my life and reminded me of who I was before...A carefree healer and a benevolent king of the Moors, even an older brother to Somnus and fiancé to Aera until Death took her from me. You showed me mercy when I didn’t afford you the same courtesy, especially when I cursed you all those years ago, you, a defenseless infant who meant me no harm...You were nothing but kind and sweet to me, so I promise to show you mercy now by making sure no one ever hurts you again. I love you, (Name), and if true love’s kiss exists, I pray mine will work for you. I didn’t want to admit that a monster such as I could love a human as innocent as you, but I can’t and won’t deny my love for you anymore...” Then, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips, Ardyn continued to sob into your neck as he prayed, “Please, come back to me, (Name). I already lost one love before. Must I lose another and be doomed to be alone forever?” 

* For those that knew Ardyn, one fact was true: He was rarely ever brought to tears. He only cried when Aera died and for nothing else so the fact that your curse made him cry, it was profound. But nothing could quell his next few bouts of tears as you stroked his face sleepily, causing him to snap up to gaze upon you as tears pooled in your eyes to match your smile, “My Ardyn...I forgive you for what you did. Can you forgive me for running away? I should’ve let you explain but after seeing how cruel my father was to me and his subjects, I think I understand now.” Instantly, Ardyn begged you not to apologize before you remarked, “I prayed you would save me, and my prayer was answered.” Lowering the dark fae to you so you could kiss his lips, Ardyn obliged your request as your friends wiped away their tears of mourning to replace them with happy tears and genuine smiles. 

* After requesting to return with Ardyn to his home, you and the others followed the dark fae through the woods before a glowing sword pierced the male’s gut. With a cry that nearly broke all possible sound barriers, Ardyn collapsed as he writhed and wiggled around on the grass before Noctis and his companions were chained to the ground by soldiers, spears pointed at their necks if they dared move, while Iris, Aranea, Cindy, and Talcott fled into the shrubbery to devise a plan to free their friends. With a confident smirk as he sauntered forward, Bahamut cackled as he addressed you, “You foolish girl, you fell right into my trap. But I want to thank you, my daughter, for delivering the king of the Moors and his magical companions to me. They’ll make good trophies on my wall.” 

* “As for the former royal siblings, they’ll make good slaves to me.” Emperor Aldercapt cackled as Ravus stood in front of Lunafreya with a sword drawn before both siblings were caught in a net by Imperial soldiers. 

* “No, stop, leave them alone!” You pleaded as the guards held you back when you tried to resist their death grip before Ardyn beckoned you to flee just as Regis, Clarus, and Cor aided in the fight, freeing Noctis, Prompto, Ignis, and Gladio while Iris and Talcott helped free Lunafreya and Ravus from the Emperor and his soldiers. At the same time, Aranea and Cindy stood guard over you to make sure not a single soldier broke through their defenses to get to you. Immediately, Ardyn transformed Ravus and Lunafreya into gargantuan wolves in order to give them a fighting chance as they started biting soldiers left and right, dragging them through the mud as they sprinted whenever they tried to hurt anyone they held dear, especially you. 

* However, you refused to leave without the dark fae as you wrestled a weapon from a nearby guard who came at you with a sword, joining into the fight to defend the Moorish king alongside your friends. Disgusted by your will to defend ‘wicked’ magical creatures, your father charged at you with a sword as you readied for the attack while he hissed, “You would dare defend these daemons?! Fine, I’ll just snuff out the light in you like I did to that female light fae Ardyn used to love, and I’ll make it look as if he killed you with his darkness.” Surprised to hear this revelation, everyone took to defending you from your father as they realized Bahamut was the one behind all the tragedies in the Moors and the human kingdoms before you barked back, “You’re a disgraceful king who sees his people as disposable and you dare work for a dictator who calls himself emperor, but yet Ardyn and I are somehow the bad guys in this? No, Father, I’m not gonna be subservient to you and your hatred. I choose love and I choose my fae family. You are no blood of mine anymore!” Locking swords with you as he pushed with all his might, you pushed back before Bahamut growled, “But are you ready to die for the fairy folk?” 

* “If it means protecting them and their kingdom, even defending their ruler, then yes. Bring it on!” You shouted as you managed to get the upper hand by pushing Bahamut away before Noctis defended you with his own sword as his ring glowed white and repelled the human king away, hissing at your father as his baby blues narrowed in anger, “Now that I and the other fairy folk know the truth of your misdeeds, we’re gonna make you pay for destroying Aera and slandering my uncle’s good name! You’re not hurting (Name) or Ardyn, and if we have to die to protect them, then so be it!” At once, your friends came to your aid to fight the emperor and the king as well as their soldiers in defense of their king and their friend. However, upon seeing Bahamut go for you again while your back was turned in order to defend Prompto from a surprise attack, Ardyn swiftly spirited a full arsenal of weapons to his command as he aimed them all at Bahamut. 

* Clouded irises sparkling gold as black liquid bled down his sickly, porcelain visage, a livid expression upon the face you so loved to see, a pink-magenta aura shone around Ardyn as his glowing pink-magenta arsenal shot at Bahamut, pinning him against the ground as the human king tried to block the blows only to be pinned down two-fold by a second barrage, which was covered in blue aura. At once, Ardyn’s brother Somnus came to the aid of the fairy folk in defense of them and you as he realized Bahamut had cursed his brother and killed his sister-in-law to make it look like Ardyn was the bad guy, which debunked the lies Bahamut spread across the land of Ardyn choosing darkness of his own accord and killing his fiancé in a blind rage. 

* With Somnus now helping everyone, the dark fae king delivered the final blow as he wished a quick death to the human king for killing his love, cursing him with darkness, and for trying to kill his new love, vanquishing the human king once and for all so his evil would never spread across the earth again. 

* Unlocking the Moors at your request so other innocent souls could see it for themselves, Ardyn tore down the walls around his kingdom and his heart to allow himself to love again like he did in youth. At the same time, a grand celebration occurred in the Moors as fae folk and humans attended the ceremony. During the ceremony, Ardyn made you the first human queen of the Moors as well as his wife, renaming you Queen (Name) the Valiant. You also became queen of your father’s kingdom and worked very hard to fight the emperor who wished harm upon Lunafreya and Ravus, all in the hopes that you could return their kingdom and their titles to them. Eventually, the empire was defeated and the humans Lunafreya and Ravus restored to power, but they never stopped assisting Ardyn in his endeavors as his loyal canine companions whenever he sent word for their help. Once you were finished helping your ‘canine companions,’ you gave your throne and your title over to Somnus, who was surprisingly good with dealing with humans despite his light fae heritage. As co-rulers of the fae and human kingdoms, Ardyn and Somnus were great neighbors and often assisted each other whenever the other was in danger from other kingdoms who sought to harm them. 

* Everywhere you and Ardyn went, some were still fearful and ran for the hills while others were more kind and willing to approach. But one thing was certain, you loved the dark fae and he loved you, his human wife, and for as long as you two both lived, your love would always be as pure and full of light as the first kiss he gave you to save you from your curse. Eventually, you both had a daughter, a little princess, of your own and raised the half-human, half-dark fae in grace and beauty, just like you had been raised. Restored to power as the kind Healer was your dark fae king, and it wouldn’t have been without your help, so he could do nothing but thank you every day for all the kindness you had done for him.


	4. Fem! Noctis Caelum x Fem! Reader - Friendship Headcanons

* The first time you met Noctis was in high school, especially when she worked at a sushi restaurant you happened to work at. At first, she was withdrawn and kept to herself, never really saying much aside from polite niceties such as “good afternoon” and “goodnight.” But after talking about a new video game with her that she liked, she eventually opened her heart to you. In all honesty, Noctis is such an amazing coworker and friend, just chilling at home after school and work to play games on her phone or play video games on her PS4. She’s even asked you to hang out at her place (yes, she has her own apartment at fifteen) before and even has a spare room for you in case you ever want to crash there. 

* Other than her friends and her family, you’re the only other person who’s allowed to call her “Noct.” She’s also allowed you into her intimate social circle, meaning that anything she says in confidence to you stays a secret you take to the grave and she’s allowed herself to trust you. 

* On the weekends when you’re not working or studying, Noct takes you with her to go fishing and although you nearly get a hook through your finger, you still had a great time when she taught you how to fish. Fishing is her go-to activity to relax and even if you don’t like it, Noct does appreciate how you support her by buying new supplies (for example, if her rod breaks because she pulls on the line to catch a big one and it snaps mid-reel, which is sometimes common on long fishing trips) or going to watch her fish. 

* Even if you can’t get Noct to eat her veggies (to Ignis’s annoyance), Noct loves spending time with you because you both love cute animals and junk food. You also pull the best pranks together (with Ardyn’s help) and you get along with Prompto and Lunafreya. General rule of thumb for Noctis: If Prompto and Lunafreya love you, then she loves you too. 

* If you’re a closet nerd, then Noct is the monster in the closet because she is an EXTREME closet nerd. She knows fandom references and memes like it’s nobody’s business and she’s always keeping up to date with the latest pop culture. And if there’s a convention in the area, you can bet she’ll go with you. And don’t even get me started on voice actors because she falls hard for her favorites and would travel across the world just to get an autograph or a picture with them. 

* Regis is a supportive single father and treats his daughter like a little princess who deserves the best care and love. Noct is a true daddy’s girl, learning every tomboyish activity you can think of from fishing to martial arts. You know that ever since her mom died in childbirth and she suffered a leg injury during a car accident on the way home from Lunafreya’s when she was 8, Noct hasn’t been the same. But over time, she let some people into her world, and one of those people was you. Unlike most girls in her age group, Noct is definitely the opposite of girly and pink; she’s more emo and royalty chic. But if you’re girly, Noct doesn’t mind one bit and loves you all the same as her best friend. Though Regis is chill and lets you two do whatever you want so long as no one gets hurt or arrested, he is still a protective dad because he loves his baby girl so much. He will even protect you too as if you were his own, so your parents trust him and Noctis. 

* Regis has many friends, so they act as uncles to Noctis. For example, Cor is the stern uncle who weirdly won’t blink like those soldiers outside Buckingham Palace or won’t smile, even for things he finds funny as he doesn’t want to give kids the impression that he’ll go soft on them. Nonetheless, Cor teaches valuable life lessons through his talks and he even offers to teach self-defense to people if they ask; just don’t expect him to cook for you since he nearly burns down the house every time he tries so please, if you know how to cook, share some meals with this man since he needs to eat a homemade meal every once in a while. Clarus Amiticia is the father of Noct’s friend Gladiolus (also known as Gladio or Gladdy) and he acts as a second father to Noct whenever Regis is away on business. Cid is like the cranky grandpa who yells at kids to get off his lawn but who also loves helping people who show the elderly some respect. Finally, Weskam is just a friendly uncle who wants to cook for you and make you feel at home. 

* Ardyn is Noctis’s cool great uncle (who basically dresses like he lives in the trash can of the basement, just kidding) and he absolutely adores you two, although the black-haired girl does get teased to the point of embarrassment by him. But his jokes are absolutely harmless and he’s always the life of the party and also the go-to if you or Noct get injured or sick, as he used to be a doctor before going into politics. But Ardyn also lets you get away with more stuff, unlike Ignis, Cor, Clarus, or Regis, so long as no one gets hurt or arrested. Although, he is the reason Noct is a habitual bad driver, especially when he taught her how to drive like a man rushing a pregnant wife to a hospital in rush hour traffic when she asked him how to. 

* Speaking of bad driving, Noct is one word: TERRIBLE. Well, that’s not exactly fair to her. Noct can drive like some NASCAR champion, but she could do better with road safety. You can’t count how many times she’s gotten close to getting pulled over for speeding or actually crashed her car and had to have Cindy repair it. 

* Since hanging out with Noctis, you became closer to her male friends and friends of her family (Iris Amiticia, Gladio’s little sister, and Talcott, the grandson of Jared Hester, a family friend of Clarus’s). Noctis was even friends with Lunafreya’s big brother Ravus, who tolerated Noct since he thought the black-haired girl could be a bad influence on his sister, who was always an angelic, goody-two shoes in his eyes. But after a while, Ravus grew closer with Noct and came to respect her. 

* But through it all, you developed a crush on Prompto, the sunshine boi of your group who was best known for his love of chocobos and his photography. In the same breath, Noct had fallen in love with a member of her friend group (either Ravus, Gladio or Iggy; it’s the reader’s choice). 

* During a sleepover at Lunafreya’s house, everyone was going around describing their ideal crushes to each other so the other girls could guess. When it was your turn, Iris and Cindy had a little trouble guessing but they both agreed that maybe you were describing Ravus since you said your crush was blonde. Aranea had a hunch that it was Prompto and voiced this, making a bet with the others for all the candy in the pile, before Lunafreya and Noct decided to agree with Aranea. When you revealed it was Prompto, Cindy and Iris looked so crestfallen as their heads dropped while Aranea laughed maniacally, scooping up all the candy over to her, Lunafreya, and Noctis. However, you were too nervous to say anything to Prompto because you thought that maybe you weren’t his time. But Noct was quick to reassure you as she had a plan. 

* After showing you some videos as reference, you managed to get Prompto alone during the time you were hanging out with him and Noct before the black-haired girl made an excuse that she needed to answer her phone since her father was calling. In reality, she was hiding behind a wall, videotaping the encounter. Beckoning Prompto to you with your finger, he started to lean into you before you grabbed his freckled face in both hands, lowering him to you so you could kiss his lips. After pulling away with a shocked expression at what you had just done, you were awaiting rejection sadly (even though your face didn’t show it) until Prompto grabbed you around the waist to pull you back into a kiss. 

* Once Noct got the video, she returned to the room and teased you about the kiss, causing you and Prompto to giggle before you announced you were officially a couple. 

* Like I said, Noctis is the best friend you could have and Prompto is the most supportive, cutest, sweetest boyfriend you could ever have. You couldn’t think Noct enough for setting you two up since Prompto is such a great romantic partner since you make him feel secure in himself and he makes you feel happy. 

* But you also helped Noct gain the courage to confess to her crush, staying by her side while holding her hand as she gave them an old-fashioned phone call. After an awkward pause, they chuckled on their end before they remarked that “they thought she would never ask.” 

* You and Noct have been friends for years and you will continue to be friends for as long as you both shall live.


	5. Nyx Ulric x Fem! Reader - Rise of the Guardians AU Headcanons

* Darkness was all Nyx remembered as he awoke on a dusty plain, one side of his face and his entire arm covered in magical burns. Coughing up the dust as his eyes widened, the man looked around until he became lucid enough to try to remember his past, clutching his head with the swaying of a drunkard experiencing a hangover. But for every memory that attempted to come back to him, Nyx couldn’t remember a thing as he gave up on this inquiry altogether for the time being. Feeling a vibration by his sides after he looked up at the Sun that shone over the horizon with an awe-stricken grin, he looked to his hands with a small chuckle, leading him to play around with the dancing flames as if they were a ball to be bat around with. At first, he wanted to know why his flames were azure rather than orange and why he had been spared after seemingly giving a blood price of his own life to the old kings in order to save Lucis. But when he received no obvious answer, verbal or by any other sign, he decided not to push his luck. However, those lingering questions kept coming, pushing themselves at his present awareness as they wouldn’t leave so easily. But as Nyx noticed since leaving the dusty plain to convene in town with old friends of the Kingsglaive, he started to notice some peculiarities. 

* For example, when he attempted to let his loved ones know he was still alive, they remarked that he couldn’t possibly be Nyx Ulric since he died while defending Lucis and the ring from General Glauca, a Niflheim tactician who betrayed the Lucians. And sure enough, when Nyx looked at himself in a mirror, he was shocked to see that his physical appearance had changed drastically because of the burns and whatever magic spared his life. But atop his head were silver locks, a stark difference from his usually dark hair, while his eyes were glowing like embers of a warm flame. Therefore, all he could say was that he just happened to share a name with the deceased hero before he felt it best to withdraw from society and his loved ones, occasionally swooping into town to play hero for the people of Lucis whenever they needed him. Donning a mask that resembled a coeurl, Nyx became known by a moniker of Panther and was renowned around Eos as a bringer of warmth and light to those who entered the forest he inhabited. 

* One such person he constantly assisted from afar was you, a young woman of twenty years of age who constantly got into small scrapes due to brushes with Destiny. Though you were a little reckless with the forest excursions you engaged in with your childhood friends from the time you could walk to the present, Nyx was always there to save your life. And throughout your entire childhood, you could never understand who saved you since they never revealed themselves aside from a voice, but you always thanked them from afar with the kindest smile. With that one act of kindness, Nyx grew attached to you and dedicated his life to always keeping you safe from harm, whether it was natural or supernatural and within his control. 

* While Nyx provided people assistance with his powers as a part of his second chance at his new life (but especially for you, his little human friend), Ardyn watched Eos from afar as its guardian renowned for his advanced elemancy, and he was stunned to see that daemons were roaming along, spreading their darkness. Fearing the worst once he learned who was leading them, Ardyn recruited other guardians to his aid as he sent out beacons across Lucian tombs to sound the alarm. The first to receive a message was Lady Lunafreya, a white mage renowned for healing. The second was Prince Noctis, a young man who was accompanied often by his friends and who was renowned for his abilities to summon creatures to aid him and his allies in battle. The third guardian was Gilgamesh, the eldest and close friend to Ardyn who was an excellent swordsman who often tested the mantle of heroes through difficult tests but who had a low-key soft spot for animals. The last guardian to be recruited was Nyx himself, the newest in the party who had yet to show everyone what his flames could do. 

* Reluctant to join the other guardians because of his belief that he was not right for the job, Lunafreya managed to convince Nyx to their side, appealing to his sense of duty to innocent civilians who were being hurt by the daemons. But more importantly, Lunafreya urged help from the guardians to recover her horde of wolves (led by her two favorites, Pyrna and Umbra) ever since the leader of the daemons threatened to take away Eos’s light by snuffing it out of the people to bring chaos and fear, a hotbed that would be a perfect breeding ground for his creatures to thrive while he eradicated all human life. The method he chose to do so was to spread a plague around Eos, which would tax Lunafreya and her healing powers, especially after all her little helpers were captured and locked away in Bahamut’s domain. 

* Without hesitation, the other guardians and Nyx managed to complete the first task without much difficulty, fending off the Starscourge with their combined magic as well as protecting various localities from daemon hordes. But the second task, that was a little more difficult because of the ever-changing nature of Bahamut’s realm. The moment Nyx and the guardians entered the door and managed to free all the wolves except for Pyrna and Umbra, who were locked together in a tightly-locked cage, Bahamut transported everyone away to a lone forest to battle. 

* Upon reaching the new destination while everyone landed feet-first, the leader of the dark forces revealed his face by pulling back his hood. With glazed-over yellow pupils and irises that resembled cataracts and sickly pale skin, black sludge beaded down from his bottom eyelids as Ardyn hissed, “Bahamut...” With a maniacal smirk with pointed fangs directed at his long-time archenemy, the swords-master darted his eyes back and forth from one guardian to another as they stood ready to fight, Lunafreya with her ivory trident, Noctis with his sword, Gilgamesh with his broad sword, and Nyx with his kukris. However, Bahamut was quick to mock Nyx, as the new recruit was considered somewhat invisible among the guardian’s community and Bahamut hadn’t seen Nyx’s strength yet.

* At once, the group was engaged in a fierce battle in order to fend off Bahamut to keep the civilians safe, especially those who were pure of heart who he could easily corrupt with daemons. During the scuffle, Bahamut managed to catch Lunafreya off guard as he struck her with a knife to the stomach, causing her to gasp as the blade was pulled away while Bahamut smirked, satisfied that he had taken out the one guardian who could definitely take him out within seconds if she ever got a proper opening. Dropping to her knees as she used her trident as a brace, darkness bled onto the white dress to replace the blood as Lunafreya’s baby blues started to flash gold, signaling that the Scourge was trying to take her. Giving one last look towards the other guardians with a sad smile, Lunafreya urged them to hold onto faith and hope as she dissipated into a purple mist, her eyes fluttering shut as her head tilted to the sky. With a gutteral scream while Noctis and his allies gasped, Nyx’s eyes filled with rage as he couldn’t believe Lunafreya was gone, especially since he had become close with her as a friend during their journey, which took several weeks. Charging towards Bahamut as Ardyn urged the new guardian to look out, incoming blades of all different sizes and lengths rang through the air as they attempted to infect Nyx with the Starscourge too. As Nyx was struck by darkness, Bahamut smirked as he believed he had the victory before the misty, violet mist parted in half. At the same time, a blue flame transformed into bolts of electricity as they shot out of Nyx’s hands, striking Bahamut’s chest as they sent him flying back. Peeling back his armor to find a burn scar on his pectoral from Nyx’s newfound powers, Bahamut hissed under his breath as his eyes glared daggers at Nyx before he fled into the night. At the same time, Nyx plummeted to the ground from the sky where he had been fighting Bahamut, his eyes fluttering shut as exhaustion enveloped his body. Being caught by Ardyn before he could collapse, the wine-haired man’s green eyes flashed with concern as he roused Nyx awake, “How...How did you do that?” Shrugging that he didn’t know, Ardyn helped Nyx to his feet as they rejoined Noctis, who was mourning Lunafreya alongside his human allies. 

* Back at Ardyn’s compound, everyone else mourned Lunafreya, but especially Nyx, who found himself powerless to save her since he was right by her side during the attack. With this fact ever-present in his mind, Nyx would just sit in solitude by the windows of the compound as he made his flames resemble Lunafreya before they would dance with a pack of wolves running around her. With a single tear escaping his eye, Nyx grit his teeth as he closed his eyes before he heard a knock at the door to his room. Calling out that it was open, Ardyn entered solemnly as he removed his fedora out of respect, funeral garb of black blanketing his body as his eyes seemed weary and raw. Ardyn didn’t have to say much at first as he just sat for a little while in Nyx’s company, watching for any indication that the young man wanted to talk. Eventually, Ardyn began to speak when Nyx wouldn’t as he attempted to offer some advice, “Lunafreya was a remarkable guardian, caring, regal...She was always so good with children, which is why she was always the guardian of youth.” Pausing to fix his hair as it was getting in his face, Ardyn turned back to Nyx before he pat the man’s knee, “You did everything you could, Nyx. Lunafreya would be proud of you.” When Nyx still wouldn’t talk, Ardyn decided not to push the issue as he sauntered to the doorway. However, Nyx was quick to stop him from leaving as he inquired, “How did you become a guardian? I’ve heard it’s not easy to do so.” 

* With a soft smile, Ardyn turned back around to Nyx as he gave an honest reply, “I was just a simple traveler before, spreading my knowledge from faraway lands to any who would hear me...But when the old Lucian kings chose me, it was because of my humanity, my self-sacrifice...When I met my wife, she was the only one who wanted to travel with me and see the world for herself. She was a constant visitor and was always hungry for knowledge, but she was beautiful and kind to me. Being around her made me not feel so alone...” With a soft smile as he heard pitter-patter outside, Ardyn noticed his daughter and wife in the halls of the compound as they blew him a kiss before Ardyn caught the kisses before blowing them back one of his own, which they promptly caught. Noticing the two women from his position by the windowsill, Nyx waved back to the women as they mimicked him before they went about their business. Continuing his story, Ardyn never lost the sparkle in his eyes or the smile upon his cheeks as he turned back to Nyx, “We never wanted to leave each other’s side, so we eventually married and had a daughter. But when she was born, she would neither cry nor stir whenever my wife and I asked her to wake. When the Lucian kings saw how far I was willing to go to ensure if my baby girl lived even if I died, they granted me the powers of a guardian. From then on, I was known as the guardian of self-sacrifice.” 

* “And Noctis? Gilgamesh?” Nyx asked before Ardyn responded, “Noctis is the guardian of courage, but he was once just a prince of Lucis. When the kings saw how he gave this gift to those who previously had none, they granted him this new title. Though his father, King Regis, worried, he eventually learned to become proud of his son’s newfound talents. Even now, Regis assists Noctis from afar in any way he can, and Noctis’s human allies are an example of that...Gilgamesh was once a renowned soldier who led many battles in many wars, but all he wanted was a peaceful life where he could settle down in a cottage somewhere with a nice girl, maybe even adopt some children and some wounded forest animals or even have kids of his own...When he was chosen, the old kings saw that he was a man of great strength even in the toughest trials, so they granted him power, making him the guardian of strength.” Satisfied with the answers Ardyn provided to his questions, Nyx still had one question nagging him as he stared out the glass of the window, “I wonder what I will be the guardian of. I still never learned why I was chosen for a second chance.” 

* “Maybe time will tell, but whatever you’re the guardian of, I suppose it must be an extremely useful gift to Eos...Well, I guess I’ll leave you be. Goodnight, Nyx Ulric.” Ardyn replied before the man with the panther mask gasped, “How did you-”

* “Every guardian has a life before taking on this task...Trust me, we all knew who you were before you were even recruited, otherwise, we would’ve chosen another. But there is no other worthy candidate than a soldier who is willing to sacrifice his life for his country.” Ardyn grinned before he shut the door to the Panther’s bedroom, leaving Nyx alone as the new guardian flopped onto the bed. But Nyx could do nothing but toss and turn as he eventually woke from his restless slumber. Donning his jacket and securing his mask to his face, Nyx took a walk out of the compound and into the woods so he could smell the fresh pines and feel the cool air on his face. Closing his eyes as moonlight shone upon his face, Nyx’s thoughts were only on you, the woman who he saved often and who always thanked him kindly. Something about you just drew him in, and he found himself unable to forget you. 

* But his thoughts for you would only increase as an eerie aura surrounded the forest. With a flash of light and his hands shielding his face while his breath hitched in his throat from a startled gasp, Nyx was transported to a dusty plain similar to the one he awoke in while Bahamut stood there silently. Screaming at the man to face him as he grabbed his kukris, Bahamut shook his head as he droned, “I’m not here to fight. I have an offer for you.”

* “Funny, I don’t remember me wanting to make a deal with you.” Nyx hissed under gritted teeth before Bahamut smirked, “Ohhh, don’t be like that...But if you continue to act like that, maybe this will change your mind.” Pulling back the cape on his armor, Bahamut revealed Pyrna and Umbra chained up together on a single leash as they whimpered before Nyx gasped with wide eyes before his irises and face glazed over with rage as he gripped his weapons more tightly. However, Nyx needed to cooperate for the time being to avoid the canines being hurt. It was the least he could do for Lunafreya now after not being able to save her before. Deciding to listen to Bahamut, Nyx stayed still as the man tip-toed around him, “You want to know why the Lucian kings chose you; I want their powers. It seems our goals are in alignment. Furthermore, I can provide you with information about who you are, given you don’t seem to remember.” 

* “But there’s always a catch.” Nyx smirked as Bahamut nodded, “Clever boy...Yes, I would require you to join forces with me. Just think, you would be the most powerful guardian in Eos. People would definitely know your name, Panther.” However, Nyx’s expression soured with the proposition as he outright refused, “I would rather be forgotten than be feared like you...Now hand Pyrna and Umbra over, or I’ll use you for a scabbard.” This only made Bahamut angry as he teleported behind Nyx, knocking the wind out of the man as he snatched away his kukris. Smashing them in his hands, Nyx clutched his heart from having his weapons destroyed as he collapsed face-first in the dirt before Bahamut kicked him into a ravine, sprinkling the broken bits of metal onto the man. But just when he was about to go back for the dogs, Pyrna bit Bahamut’s open palm while Umbra bit against the leash to free himself and his sister, causing the daemon leader to holler before he kicked both dogs and tossed them into the ravine with Nyx. Smirking from the top of the ravine, Bahamut vowed to end the humans until every last bit of faith and light was eradicated from Eos, and from what it sounded like, there were very few lights left to believe in the guardians. If memory served Nyx right, when he was first recruited, being a guardian meant people had to believe in your existence or your power would wane. If Bahamut could sow seeds of doubt in humanity, which was much easier now that Lunafreya was out of the picture, then the guardians would lose. 

* Rising to his feet as he hacked the dust from his lungs, Nyx noticed Pyrna and Umbra collapsed in the ravine with him before he rushed to their aid, burning the rest of their leash off without igniting their fur. Thanking him with a lick to his cheeks, Pyrna and Umbra rested beside Nyx as he sat on the ground, knees pulled into his chest as tears pooled into his eyes while he whispered, “This is all my fault...What good am I as a guardian of Eos if I can’t even protect one person? How am I good enough if I put my comrades in danger?...Bahamut’s right. I should’ve never been chosen.” Burying his head into his knees, Nyx began to cry as Lunafreya’s wolves whined with large puppy dog eyes before he heard a soft tone call his name, “Nyx!...Nyx!” Shooting his head up to the sound, Nyx looked around for the source as he still only noticed himself and the dogs in the ravine with him. However, he continued to hear the voice again as a memory tugged at his mind. Clutching his forehead, Nyx’s eyes slammed shut as the picture became clear. Noticing himself back in Galahd, Nyx saw himself jumping through trees with his friend Libertus while a little girl ran behind them, appealing to Nyx in fits of laughter as she called him her big brother. Eventually, the memory became dark as Nyx found himself panting and covered in burns, staring down an adversary named Glauca who meant him and his sister harm as the traitorous soldier meant to destroy Eos. With the last of his strength as he donned the ring of the Lucii, Nyx gathered the courage to stand his ground after hearing his sister express her fears, leading him to make a solemn promise, “Everything will be alright. This soldier’s gonna make the Sun shine again.” With one last smile to his sister, Nyx ended the battle and saved Eos, but at the cost of his own life as burns covered his body and his sister screamed for her brother in tears. Reverting back to the present, Nyx couldn’t wrap his head around what he had just seen. But as the realization made sense, the man gasped while a relieved smile entering his face as he remarked while hugging Pyrna and Umbra, “Ardyn was right; guardians had lives before taking this mantle...I had a sister and I saved her and Lucis, all from a general who betrayed the kingdom I swore King Regis I would defend...That’s why the old kings saved my life; I’m the guardian of hope. My sacrifice inspired so many people to protect Lucis, and my dreams of a brighter future lived on.” Darting his head around to find his kukris, Nyx eventually found the pieces scattered in the ravine as he picked every bit of metal up, inciting the use of his powers. At first, only blue sparks exited his hands. But as Nyx refused to give up, his powers eventually came back in full force as they surrounded his damaged kukris in azure flames and electric bolts, thereby strengthening them during their repairs. With a wide smile as Pyrna and Umbra howled in celebration, Nyx suggested they find Bahamut before he executed his grand plan. 

* Retracing Bahamut’s steps with his newfound powers, which allowed him better visual tracking just like the days of his youth before becoming a guardian, Nyx managed to find one path leading straight to a familiar town. At once, Nyx realized Bahamut was targeting you, as you were the last light in Eos who believed in Ardyn and Noctis, the remaining guardians. Urging Umbra and Pyrna to return to Ardyn’s compound, Nyx went on ahead as his flames propelled him through the sky and straight to your home. 

* Thankful that Nyx got to you in time, he watched you from your bedroom window, concern lacing his eyes as he observed you for a few minutes. But as you curled into the mattress under the blanket, you found yourself restless as you tossed and turned from one end of the bed to the other. It was then that Nyx realized that Bahamut was affecting the minds of the humans to hinder the guardians’ powers, and he was trying to turn you to his side from afar. Acting quickly to prevent Bahamut’s plans from reaching fruition, Nyx pressed an open palm against the glass window as he used the magnetism of his electricity to open the lock. Once the window was open, Nyx floated inside before he crept close to your form. Hesitant to startle you from your slumber, Nyx chose heart over mind in this situation as he stroked a hand through your hair, which seemed to have an effect on you as you visibly relaxed, while he cooed, “Shhhhh, it’s alright...I’ll keep you safe, faithful one.” Sauntering around the room once he saw you were calm again, Nyx investigated your surroundings as he laughed at your drawings on your desk, especially the ones that he believed were your interpretations of him since you didn’t know who he was or what he looked like. All you had to go on was a voice, which you described in the margins of the paper as soothing like a knight in shining armor. However, your yawns and the creaking of your mattress startled Nyx as he darted out the window, leading you to gasp as you watched the window slam against the wall before you rose from your mattress to call out, “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you! Please come back, please...Is that you, Panther? I knew you were real; no one believed me but I knew you were always there.” Pausing in his flight as he darted his head to the side so you couldn’t see him but he could still see you, Nyx maneuvered his back against the wall as you breathed through your nose with a soft plea, “Please come out, or show me a sign you’re there. I very much want to talk with you, even if it’s just to hear your voice again. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, so I want to thank you properly for watching over me in my childhood.” Giving a small grin at your gentle tone, Nyx decided to indulge your curiosity as he fashioned his flames into shapes and patterns to convey his feelings and thoughts for you, all to explain himself. Creating a flame to represent you, Nyx made the flame dance around similar to your own mannerisms as you tipped the flames with your finger. This made a single spark fly off the human-shaped flame as it transformed into a coeurl that shot out controlled electric bolts, which ran around you as you laughed while Nyx stifled a chuckle. After a few minutes, the coeurl eventually turned into a man wearing a panther mask as he reached for the hand of your flame figure’s. With starry eyes from the flame figures, you grinned as you watched the figures express their love for each other with gentle touch and soft stares before Nyx’s flame figure kissed the hand of yours like a perfect gentleman in the form of a white knight. Mesmerized by the flames dancing near you, the warmth and light reminded you of the times Panther had saved you from your own recklessness and how he was a comforting presence when you were a child. Entering into the bedroom again while you were distracted, Nyx tip-toed near you as your eyes blinked in awe as recognition graced your face before you gasped upon seeing Nyx’s true face once he removed the armored mask, “Nyx Ulric...You’re alive.” Shocked to hear you say his real name, Nyx’s eyes widened with an awed sparkle before he pointed to himself with open palms touching his armored chest as he nodded, “Yes, that’s me. Nyx Ulric, Kingsglaive of Lucis, at your service.” Remembering that he was unrecognizable because of his magical burn scars, Nyx gazed into your eyes with his as he asked, “Do I have burn scars on my body? Is my hair black and my eyes blue?” Shaking your head to the first question while nodding to the second, Nyx’s body trembled with laughter as tears pooled in his eyes, which ran down his face as he back-flipped into the air. Clapping as you laughed, Nyx picked you up in his arms as he spun you around the room while you and him both laughed, his declarations of “She sees the real me” echoing in the room. After spinning you around, Nyx eventually put you back down on your feet as you encircled his neck with your arms, reclining your forehead against his as you nodded, “Yes, I can see you...I always admired your sacrifice, so I always tried to emulate you.” 

* “Oh, so you chose to be reckless on purpose, all so you could meet me?” Nyx quipped with a smirk before you shrugged, “Well, it worked, didn’t it? I got to meet the famous warrior who inspired me.” Leaning your face close to his, your (eye color) irises sparkles in tune with his before you whispered, “Nyx...I...Ever since you saved me from a daemon, I couldn’t deny how I felt about you and how much I wanted to thank you...What I’m trying to say is that-”

* “Believe me, I know and I feel the same.” Nyx smiled as he tipped your head to look at him with his index finger under your chin. Leaning in close to you, Nyx pressed his lips to yours as his arms enveloped your waist while your fingers tangled in his hair. Savoring the tender affection whole-heartily, you and Nyx waited a moment before pulling away only to stare lovingly at each other before all the lights in the home blew out, causing you to yelp as you clutched to the guardian for comfort. Igniting his hand to provide a makeshift torch, Nyx sheltered you with his arms wrapped around your shoulders before you asked, “What was that? Was that the Midnight Swordsmaster?” 

* “You know of him?” Nyx asked as you nodded, “He’s a sort of boogieman that is used to scare children, but I never thought he would actually attack people.” Eyes widening in realization at what you just suggested, you looked to Nyx for clarification during your inquiry, “Wait, if you’re a guardian of Eos and Bahamut is your enemy, does that mean that the other guardians are fighting him right now?” Giving a small nod, Nyx promised to take you to his guardian companions since Bahamut was targeting you, the last human who believed in the guardians and who was the last one keeping the daemons at bay. Asking you to ride on his back, Nyx floated with you out of your bedroom window as he reunited with his companions, who were worried sick about him since he disappeared. During the time Nyx was gone, Noctis felt his power disappear completely as he became more weary and weak, even when wielding a sword he had used for years. Even Ardyn was starting to feel the waning of his own powers as his magic was weaker than normal while Gilgamesh’s sword had snapped in half, thereby rendering it as useless as a twig from the woods being used as a sword. However, hope was quick to return to the guardians as Nyx introduced you to the others. Bowing down to you as they immediately recognized you, you were quick to offer your help before all the lights in the city where you were standing went out. With a light droning sound in the air as daemons rose up from pools of black sludge, the remaining guardians stood ready to fight as Nyx urged you to get behind him. 

* In the second round of battles against Bahamut, Nyx definitely fared better than before while your belief in the guardians started to restore their powers somewhat. But still, it was not enough; they needed more help and belief. Darting off towards a few of the houses, you banged on the doors as your friends swung then open, asking why you were waking them up at midnight before you urged them to come with you and help the guardians. At first, your friends just believed you were speaking of odd dreams or kid’s fairytales until they saw the battle for themselves, rubbing and blinking their eyes in disbelief before they finally believed you. This seemed to help the guardians even more as their powers returned a little more, giving them more of an advantage against Bahamut. 

* However, even with the addition of the beliefs of a few more people, Bahamut didn’t let that faze him as he just transported everyone to an open field near a large lake. Completely surrounded by daemons as Bahamut sauntered closer, the guardians desperately shot out magic at the creatures only for another to take the fallen’s place. Backed against a rocky wall with no where to go, Bahamut maniacally cackled as he intended to end the guardians by attacking you and your friends, the last believers. Clutching Nyx’s bicep with both hands, the man’s eyes flashed with concern as the gentle tone from your lips said these next few words, “Nyx, I’m frightened...” Flashing back to memories of his little sister saying similar sentiments, Nyx decided to quell your fears as he turned around, his back to Bahamut, before he gripped your face in both hands with a solemn promise, “Everything will be alright. This soldier’s gonna make the Sun shine again.” 

* “Once again, you all are pathetic, thinking you can actually protect your humans. Humans are weak and cruel, and they are nothing but trouble. I should know; I see their hearts.” Bahamut announced before he smirked with his fangs, “This is why they deserve nothing aside from my daemons taking their home and their lives so they can thrive.” With that last sentence, Bahamut was struck in the face with fireball interlaced with electricity as his armored mask fell apart, crumbling like fine china down his face as he was struck again by another fireball, causing another burn scar to form on his skin as Nyx smirked, “Oh, shut up! I hate villain monologues, and yours is especially ear-numbing.” Laughing into your palm, the other guardians and friends of yours couldn’t believe their eyes and ears before Nyx suggested, “We gonna take him down or what?” Nodding in agreement, the other guardians stood ready to fight as your belief and that of your friends provided the guardians with even more strength. Inspired by Nyx’s risk, you decided to join the fray as you called your friends to arms, using nearby rocks as projectiles to distract Bahamut so the guardians could deliver each of their blows without fail. During the scuffle, Nyx managed to be knocked off his feet by Bahamut, who positioned his sword against the guardian’s neck as he asked, “Any last words, boy?” 

* “Yeah, I got a few...The Sun will shine again.” Nyx smirked impishly before Bahamut shook his head, “You keep saying that, but I don’t see any daylight on that horizon.” Raising his sword above his head, Bahamut brought it down to strike before you gave a battle cry as you struck the malevolent spirit over the head with a metal bar. Collapsing to the ground face-first, Bahamut let you get away with that one hit as you informed him you were ready to strike again before the spirit grabbed the metal bar, twisting it like a Slinky before tossing it away from you as it clanked against the dirt. Backing up with wide eyes as your back slammed against a wall, Bahamut’s eyes flashed red when gazing at you before Nyx crawled to his feet using his kukris as braces (as weak as he was from getting the wind knocked out of him), begging you to get back or run while your friends called your name, scared of your fate. However, a feminine voice cut through the air as Bahamut’s sword swiped towards your body, a simple “That’s what you think” in a British accent entering the ears of those in the area. All of a sudden, Bahamut’s sword snapped in two as a lady in white bearing a trident spirited herself in front of you, finally regaining physical form as her light overpowered Bahamut’s darkness and all of his daemons, reducing them to puffs of black mist. Grinning at Lunafreya’s return, the other guardians had looks of wonder as Lunafreya grinned before she punched Bahamut in the face, shaking out her fist as his head reared back from the impact before she remarked, “That was for hurting my wolves.” Then turning to her fellow guardians, Lunafreya grinned as she suggested, “Guardians, let’s end this.” With all their powers combined into one, all the guardians aimed at Bahamut before he hollered, “You will never win! My darkness and my daemons will blanket you all in shadow!” 

* “As long as one human stands by us, we will always stand by them to defeat you.” Ardyn responded before Gilgamesh declared, “Belief in humanity’s evil has always been your downfall, Bahamut. They’re so much more than that and you always fail to see that.” 

* “This is why you will always lose and why light will always prevail.” Noctis replied before Nyx shrugged, “I told you before: the Sun will shine. Thanks for reminding everyone of that fact.” With those final monologues, all magic abilities waged war as they clashed for power. Bahamut’s leaned this way and that to defeat the guardians, the guardians mimicked Bahamut’s magic to defeat the Midnight Swordsmaster. But with your and your friends’ belief in the guardians, their powers repelled Bahamut as he screeched into the night, being enveloped by all the magic as the Sun shone in the distance. 

* With daylight coming at last, you helped brace Nyx against your shoulders as he thanked you for your help. With your friends congratulating the guardians, each one thanked your friends for their help in turn before turning to you, with Lunafreya speaking on behalf of the group, “Dearest (Name) (Surname), you have our utmost praise and gratitude for your bravery and heart in this battle. We couldn’t have done this without you.” 

* “I didn’t do much except believe.” You shrugged as Ardyn shook his head as he removed his fedora to bow to you respectfully before putting his hat back on, “No, your belief was exactly what we needed to be able to fight Bahamut. For that, you will always be an honored guest among the guardians and our homes.” Sauntering behind Ardyn, Gilgamesh muttered that Bahamut would always return so long as there was darkness in the world but fortunately, Noctis was quick to counter with the fact that as long as light existed in human hearts, they could defeat Bahamut, which led Gilgamesh to chuckle under his breath before lightly punching the prince’s arm, causing the younger guardian to force a smile before turning to his laughing friends with a mouthed ‘ow.’ But Nyx was the most thankful for your help as he kissed your temple with whispered gratitude in your ear before you asked him, “Well, the enemy’s gone. What will you do now?” 

* “I was thinking I would settle down. Maybe start a quiet life like Ardyn. Who knows what could happen? I’m the guardian of hope.” Nyx remarked with a smile as Ardyn nodded his head in agreement from afar before you nodded back, “My, what a proposition, Panther...But it’s one I would love to accept.” 

* With that, Nyx chose to live his life with you, courting you properly as a boyfriend with permission from your parents. Though others didn’t recognize him as the famed warrior who was allowed to use the ring of the Lucii to defend his country, you were the only one who saw the real Nyx. With him around to protect you from harm and from reckless behavior, you found yourself learning caution and discretion as you eventually became a great warrior like him. Though you were never a member of the Crownsguard or Kingsglaive, you were still a formidable opponent and it always surprised Nyx to see you take him down in man-to-man combat, even with his powers intact since you didn’t want him or others to go easy on you. Your relationship with Nyx was one derived from respect and admiration in each other, and there was a great need to protect each other. But more importantly, your love was as pure and warm as the light from Nyx’s flames. To Nyx, you were his princess and he was your guardian, but the relationship was one that worked out well. You two had never loved anyone this much, well, not until meeting each other.


	6. Ravus Nox Fleuret x Fem! Princess! Reader - Swan Princess AU Headcanons

* (Name) Lucis Caelum, princess of Lucis. That was who you were, as you were an older sister of Noctis’s. When you were a young child, your father and Queen Sylva arranged for you to be married to the prince of Tenebrae to form a political alliance against Niflheim, led by Emperor Aldercapt. At the same time, your younger brother and your fiancé’s younger sister Lunafreya were arranged to be married as well to strengthen the bond since marrying off two siblings of two allied families would be to your kingdoms’ benefit.

* The first time you met Ravus, you both were very young, maybe around eight years old or so. Sylva and Regis were excited for the meeting, but you and Ravus, not so much. Instead, Ravus tried to do everything in his power to get rid of you. He was constantly running away from you whenever you tried to come near and excluding you from activities with his few male friends. Though it hurt your feelings at first while Ravus became annoyed whenever you tried to come into his life, you learned to like each other as you and Ravus were forced to get along by your parents and your siblings, who had a better bond as a couple than you and Ravus.

* Eventually, you and Ravus fell in love with one another as you grew more beautiful as a lady of the people with every passing day, assisting those affected by the war with your kind words and gifts of food and supplies to rebuild their cities, and he became the strongest swordsman in the Tenebrae infantry, eventually becoming a high commander. However, Ravus was only infatuated by your physicality in many of his conversations with you, and this angered you so since he didn’t see your heart or your personality. If he wasn’t going to accept all of you, then he wasn’t worth your time as a future husband. Though Gentiana, Lunafreya’s advisor, tried to comfort you, it wasn’t enough as you decided to go for a ride on a chocobo with your father and baby brother. If there was one thing that could definitely cheer you up, it was a daemon hunt with the Crownsguard and your family, as you were skilled in archery.

* While discussing his thoughts with your retainer (and closest family friend who you viewed as an older brother) Ignis, the British-accented brunette was quick to make the British-accented blonde see his error with short quips and sound guidance. With a bouquet of yours and his favorite flowers in hand, Ravus rapped at your door as he awaited your response. When he heard no answer, he pushed the door open only to find it dark and empty before Gentiana asked him if he was looking for you. When he nodded that he was, she informed him that you were hunting with your brother and the Lucian Crownsguard. However, their conversation was interrupted by two soldiers, one Lucian and one of Tenebrae, who were out of breath as they warned Ravus that you and your retinue had been attacked by Emperor Aldercapt.

* Hopping onto his trusted wolf Umbra with his sister in tow atop Pyrna and Gentiana and Ignis riding on chocobos while Sylva rode on her own wolf, Ravus raced to your location with his own retinue of family and friends. Finding injured or deceased soldiers scattered about upon the ground as groans and the pungent odor of iron entered the air, Ravus panicked inside with wild eyes as he desperately searched for you, overturning debris until he came upon Noctis and Regis. Though your brother and father didn’t make it out unscathed, they were still alive. Rushing to their side as she hugged her fiancé and asked if he and his father were alright, Lunafreya went to work providing medicine to them while Sylva and Gentiana tended to the injured Lucian Crownsguard soldiers. Noticing you were not among them, Ravus inquired Noctis about your whereabouts with fear lacing his eyes, as Regis was too weak to even speak, lapsing in and out of consciousness due to his injuries. At once, Noctis cursed profanity under his breath as tears pooled in his eyes before he informed your fiancé that in spite of your courageous stand with arrows and bow in hand, Aldercapt had captured you alive to make you his wife, as he believed he deserved one as powerful and beautiful as you and if your father wouldn’t hand you over or if you wouldn’t go willingly, he would just take you by force.

* Ravus had never felt so scared and grief-stricken in his life. He wanted to cry, scream at the sky, vomit into a bush…But none of that would bring you back. In that moment, Ravus vowed to apologize to you in person but he first had to find you. Invading the empire was suicide, as it was nearly impenetrable due to their advanced magic capabilities but not entirely impossible. But Ravus was a magician of the storm himself and skilled with a blade. If he could fight an imperial army as the youngest commander and first son of an Oracle at sixteen, he could rescue his princess fiancé. This was his mission and he was determined to succeed.

* For a year, you were in the company of Aldercapt and everyday, he asked you to be his wife. But everyday you refused and attempted to escape, only to be cursed by magic with transformation into a daemon when night fell, that way you could never escape Aldercapt unless you wished to be killed by hunters. Feeling pity for your plight, former Lucians who were transformed into daemons by Aldercapt in a similar manner came to your aid as they introduced themselves as Ardyn, Gladio, and Prompto. Recognizing them as the uncle and friends of Noctis who went missing during a mission to find Aldercapt after he and his imperial soldiers trespassed on Lucian land, you offered to help each other.

* One day, Ravus happened to be hunting and searching for you in the Niflheim woods alone one night when he happened upon you in your daemon form. Recognizing Ravus immediately, you tried to speak to him and inform him of what happened only for your human words to sound like threatening growls to him. Drawing his sword as electricity sparked in his arm, Ravus dashed after you with gutteral cries from his throat while you sprinted in the opposite direction to escape, knowing that reasoning with him would never work unless you were back in human form. Hearing the screams from you and Ravus, Prompto, Ardyn, and Gladio immediately went to work distracting Ravus as he swatted at them with his sword to keep them at bay. With this well-planned distraction, you thanked your friends as you fled to the lake while they shouted words of “good luck” over their shoulders, ducking and weaving from every swing of Ravus’s sword near them. If you could get to the lake in time, the sun would rise and Ravus would see your true form. At last, you reached the lake as you huffed and puffed through your mouth before Ravus caught up with you, sword aimed at you as he shouted, “I got you now, monster! Any last words?” But as Ravus began to charge at you with his sword gripped in both hands while electricity crackled in his sword and arm, the yellow and orange glow of the Sun shone on the horizon, causing the prince to shield his eyes from the light while you were enveloped in swirls of it. Within seconds, your daemon form blew away from you like a mist before your human form revealed itself as tears filled your eyes while a broken tone called out to the man, “I’m here, Ravus…I always have been.”

* Moving his arms from his eyes, Ravus was graced by your presence as you stood there in the water up to your neck, as you were in your birthday suit from your transformation. Asking for privacy so you could dress, Ravus turned away with a reluctant nod while you shimmied on a nearby robe, buttoning it up before Ardyn, Gladio, and Prompto entered into the picture, fully clothed once they transformed back to humans. Coming up behind Ravus to draw him into your arms, the prince turned to you with platinum blonde locks blowing in the wind as his heterochromatic eyes sparkled with tears before he asked, “(Name)? Is is really?” Nodding your head as you stroked your fingers across Ravus’s face and in his hair, the prince shuddered under your touch as a single tear streamed down his face before he drew you into his arms, spinning you around in his arms without any time to consider the repercussions of his unannounced reflexes. However, you were quick to reciprocate his love for you as you kissed his lips and expressed your love for him. Even Prompto, Ardyn, and Gladio had to admit it was adorable as the blonde wiped tears from his eyes as he remarked about how beautiful the scene was while the larger man pat his friend’s back with a gutteral whisper of “there-there, buddy” and Ardyn chuckled while fixing his hair before setting his fedora atop his head.

* Filling in the blanks for Ravus so he understood about your curse and that of your Lucian friends, the Tenebrae prince vowed to come back to Niflheim for you. Though you didn’t want him to leave you since there was no guarantee he would come back, as Aldercapt would never let him live, you had to trust Ravus. He managed to find you by chance; surely, he would succeed again. But before he left, Ravus sensed your nervousness, so he invited you to a royal ball, all in the hopes that you would arrive back to Tenebrae so everyone could see you were still alive and so you wouldn’t have to be separated from him for long. Making sure he understood that you would be in attendance, Ravus kissed your lips again before you, Ardyn, Prompto, and Gladio planned for yet another escape, all under the nose of Aldercapt.

* Within three days time, you and your friends managed to make it out of the forest at sundown while Aldercapt was asleep, avoiding imperial soldiers and daemon hunters at every turn. At last arriving in Tenebrae, you changed into the most beautiful gown that Ardyn kept safe for you with his magic before attempting to enter the ball. But unbeknownst to you, Aldercapt was already a step ahead as he prevented you and your party from entering the Tenebrae castle with magic, instead disguising himself as you. Working some magic to try to take down the barrier, Ardyn attempted to get at least you through. But since Aldercapt’s magic was more advanced and doctored up to counter his, nothing was working, so you four had to resort to shouting outside the castle in the hopes that someone, anyone, would hear you. When Ravus announced his love for the fake you, Aldercapt activated another spell, which slowly and painfully ended your life as you tried to escape. Once he began his plan to kill you for denying his marriage proposal for over a year, Aldercapt took down his magical disguise as he cackled maniacally before Ravus angrily grit his teeth as he drew his sword, hollering, “Where is (Name)? What have you done to her?”

* “Since she always chose you, I made her wish come true. She’ll be with you…in death when I destroy this kingdom and all inside it.” Aldercapt cackled at the top of his lungs before he spirited himself away through a dark portal, leading to Noctis and others to aim weapons at him as all the lights in the Tenebrae castle blew out to blanket the ball in darkness. In all the chaos, Ravus rushed out the front gates as he raced to find you before he noticed Prompto and the others outside. Riding up beside them on Umbra, Ravus frantically breathed out a question of your whereabouts as Prompto informed him, “She escaped to the forest.”

* “We must hurry, your highness. Aldercapt is killing her with every second we waste. Our only hope is Ardyn’s healing magic.” Gladio hollered as Ardyn summoned a mount for him and his companions to ride upon before they raced alongside Ravus to find you. Unfortunately for them, they found you too late as they saw you collapse mid-sprint into the dirt minutes later. Jumping off the black wolf while Umbra still pounded his paws against the ground, Ravus rushed to your side as he cradled you in his arms, shaking you with tears in his eyes as he cried out to you. With a weak whisper as you clutched his face, your eyes fluttered in and out of consciousness as you revealed, “Ravus…I…I always loved you…Promise me, you’ll end Aldercapt and save our kingdoms, promise me, Ravus…” Ardyn desperately tried to magically heal you, his niece, as he pleaded with you to hang on, but you smiled peacefully once Ravus nodded, “I promise, (Name). But you’re going to make it, I’ll make sure of it. I’ll never leave you alone again, Princess. I’m so sorry for any hurt or worry I caused you, but I’m here now. Just please hang on.” However, you couldn’t hold on anymore as you gasped your last breath while your hand dropped from Ravus’s face, causing the blonde to start sobbing with you in his arms as he tried to gently shake you back to life, pleading for you not to leave him, while Ardyn, Prompto, and Gladio called out your name, pleading to God for your life. When nothing roused you, Ravus screamed into the forest as Gladio held the prince’s shoulder, his face contorted into silent grief. At the same time, Prompto was weeping openly into his hand as he dropped to his knees while Ardyn clutched his beating heart through his shirt, eyes closed while he draped a gentle hand on Prompto’s shoulder as tears streaked his face, which he soon shielded from the moonlight that shone above with his fedora as he cast a protection spell upon you to ensure no magic, person, or daemon would harm you.

* Then, Ravus drew his sword in a red-eyed rage as he gritted his teeth before he hollered into the sky, “ALDERCAPT! Come out and fight me, you geezer-aged dictator! Come on, I’ll wipe the forest with your blood! Let me have my revenge for destroying my fiancé!”

* With a sharp earthquake upon the ground, Ravus, Ardyn, Prompto, and Gladio felt their footing wobble as they watched whole trees collapse around them while they fell to their knees before Ardyn managed to rush to you once he regained his balance. Placing you atop Umbra in a bridal-style carry, Ardyn beckoned the black wolf to return you to Tenebrae as he conjured a written note out of thin air for the wolf to give to Noctis. Sprinting into the woods with you secured on his back, Umbra fled at full speed before your three friends and fiancé stood back to back in a circle. Brandishing weapons as they watched for enemy forces, a giant armored daemon with wings that were as gargantuan as he was tall roared into the air before giving a ear-shattering screech like a pterodactyl. Covering their ears, Ravus and the others watched the daemon’s movements before Prompto recognized the jewel on his chest as the blonde shouted, “Prince Ravus, it’s Aldercapt! He’s the daemon!”

* “Then, let’s make (Name) and I’s wishes come true. Let’s destroy him to save Lucis and Tenebrae.” Ravus shouted as he planted his feet in the ground while thunder boomed and lightning struck, jumping from the sky into Ravus’s arm before he aimed his sword and asked your friends, “Ready?” Giving a shout of “yeah” to the prince, the four men charged at Aldercapt as he screeched again while diving down from the sky towards Ravus and the others.

* For several minutes, the battle raged on as Ravus slashed with his sword, Prompto sniped with his gun, Ardyn conjured magic of healing and offensive properties, and Gladio guarded everyone else with his shield. With each bit of damage Aldercapt took in this beastly form, he screeched and roared as his wings swiped at trees and his claws struck in the direction of the men, but especially Ravus, his main target.

* Eventually, Aldercapt managed to snatch up Ravus in his palm as he squeezed the man’s slender waist, causing the blonde to yelp as he grunted, reaching for a small dagger on his belt as he stabbed the emperor’s free claws. Screeching into the air again, Aldercapt threw Ravus like a rag doll across the forest as the prince rolled around in the dirt. Coughing up dust when he landed on his back, Ravus gazed up to find Aldercapt attempting to stomp the prince to death as he rolled away, dodging this way and that as Ardyn, Prompto, and Gladio attempted to distract the emperor with magic, gunfire, and verbal insults.

* While Aldercapt was distracted, Ravus stabbed his sword into the ground as he leaned upon it for balance, rising from his knees to his feet while his breath hitched in his throat and his platinum blonde locks blew in the wind. Then, in the distance, Ravus heard a British accent call out his name as he noticed Noctis in the distance. With his heterochromatic eyes gazing at Ignis and Noctis, the British male aimed his spear at Ravus as the blonde caught it perfectly in his armored hand. With glowing magenta irises, Noctis ignited the spear with blue magic as Ravus felt a sharp pulse in his arm, the weapon vibrating in his grasp as Ignis ordered, “Aim it at the jewel near the emperor’s heart. This weakness will kill him instantly if you combine it with your thunder magic.” Then, Noctis nodded his head in confirmation as he asked of his brother-in-law, his hands still keeping the blue magic upon the spear, “I will give you my strength so please, just avenge my sister and save our kingdoms, Ravus.”

* Giving a nod back to the men as he thanked them for their help, Ravus shouted at Aldercapt to gain his attention as he prepared the spear for a aimed toss, “Hey, Aldercapt! Over here!” Roaring loudly as everyone covered their ears aside from Ravus, Aldercapt charged at Ravus as the blonde loosed the spear, a sharp whistling cutting through the air before it struck the jewel on the emperor’s chest, cracking it into a million pieces as fire enveloped the daemon. Screeching and roaring for the last time, Aldercapt slumped onto several trees as dust and flame filled the forest while Ardyn and Noctis conjured a magical shield, keeping the kingdoms and everyone in their group safe from the dust and flame as the men maintained their footing. Once the battle was over and the dust and flame dissipated with help from Ardyn and Noctis, the sun rose in the sky as everyone congratulated each other on the victory. However, Ravus had to see if you were alright. If Aldercapt was perpetually deceased, maybe your curse would be broken and you would be alive. He had to believe that; he just couldn’t bear to lose you, not now.

* Rushing back to his castle to his bedroom, your friends and family not far behind, he found his mother, sister, and lady-in waiting Gentiana tending to your lifeless body. With his weight dipping the bed towards him, Ravus gathered you in his arms again as the women stood nearby, Lunafreya doing everything in her power to not openly drop to her knees and sob while Gentiana held her lady’s shoulder comfortingly and Sylva turned away from the room to stare out the window, clasping her hands together in prayer in the hopes her thoughts would bring you back. Pleading with you to awaken, Ravus’s tears dripped onto your hair as his shoulders trembled before he apologized sincerely, “I’m so sorry for ever hurting or worrying you, (Name). It took me so long to fall in love with you not just for your physical beauty but for your heart as well. You stole my heart, (Name)…I beg of you, please don’t leave me so soon. I promised to bring you back home safely, and I can’t lose you now…Please, don’t leave me, my love. With love as my vow, I promise to never leave you again. Just please don’t leave me…” With a small stroke of his cheek with your weakened hand, you gasped aloud as your eyes fluttered open before you grinned, “Don’t cry, my Ravus…I love you too…and I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.” With tears streaming down his face as he grinned hopefully, Ravus brought your lips to his in a tender kiss as Gentiana, Lunafreya, and Sylva cheered internally before Lunafreya raced down the hallway to inform everyone in the castle that you were awake. Relieved to learn your curse was broken and that you were alive, your companions were surprised to see their curses were broken as well as they reunited with their loved ones.

* Within a matter of weeks, you and Ravus were married in a double wedding alongside Lunafreya and Noctis. Happy words of congratulations and good luck echoed in the air from the crowd as flower petals and rice were thrown at you and your fellow married family members. Declarations of love made the audience cry and tender kisses to seal the matrimonial bond caused the crowd to clap in droves. And at sunset, you and Ravus engaged the guests into a commemorative tradition of releasing bolts of electricity to join the stars, all to recognize how your curse transformed you at night and how Ravus was a princely soldier with the passion of a raging thunderstorm. At the same time, Noctis and Lunafreya tossed sylleblossom petals into the air to shower upon everyone like rain to symbolize their union.

* With the marriage complete, your kingdoms restored to greatness, and the empire in decline so their people could be freed from oppression, you and Ravus helped Niflheim rebuild so they too could share in the land’s prosperity. With the union between Lucis and Tenebrae stronger than it had ever been, Lunafreya and Noctis became the healer and the guardian of the kingdoms while you and Ravus became the soldier and the rebuilder. As time grew on and families were started, you birthed a healthy son for Ravus and adopted a daughter from Niflheim after she had lost her family in the war. With love evident in your marriage, nothing could tear you and Ravus apart. Though you shared many more adventures after settling down, this didn’t change the fact that you two loved each other.


	7. Prompto Argentum x Fem! Princess! Reader - Anastasia AU Headcanons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Greetings, this is Sakuraaeris1497. Here is aanother little AU Fanfiction I wrote for Final Fantasy XV with one of my favorite characters, Prompto. Please enjoy. :) 
> 
> Here is a YouTube link to the inspiration for the music box song for this AU, where I chose Episode Ardyn’s menu theme since it’s so pretty on piano and it makes sense given the plot of this AU:  
> https://youtu.be/vh5O51x_FxE

* In his youth, Ardyn was an avid traveler, healing the masses and making new friends and allies along the way. As co-ruler to the kingdom of Lucis with his brother Somnus, Ardyn helped run the foreign politics and was often sent as a representative across the land and even overseas. Meanwhile, Somnus remained in the castle aside from the occasional military travels or camping trips with his family, instead electing to settle down and raise his family.

* In the meanwhile, Ardyn met a lovely woman in his travels while staying at the castle in Niflheim, a rather difficult empire to deal with in foreign affairs. Though this women reminded him of his late fiancé Aera despite being of Niflheim and though she died of disease years after you were born (even when afforded the best medical care possible by Ardyn), the wine-colored king wouldn’t leave you behind the moment he held that little pink bundle in his arms and cried tears of joy alongside his wife the moment your little hands grasped for theirs. He also didn’t leave you behind because during your birth, the empire was in shambles since Emperor Aldercapt came to power and a certain scientist for the empire by the name of Verstael always had his beady eyes on you and Ardyn to use you both in his unethical human experiments. The moment he felt something wasn’t right during his diplomatic journey, Ardyn informed his brother of you and your mother immediately, and at once, the younger king requested you all live in Lucis permanently with the rest of the royal family, of which you shared familial blood with.

* Returning home with your mother and father, you were delighted to learn you had several uncles, aunts, and cousins on Ardyn’s side of the family. But Noctis was the funniest cousin you had ever met, always being silly in the gardens when he warped into trees to escape you during games of tag or even being sweet when he taught you how to ride a chocobo. Even before your mother fell ill, you remembered all the times she told you bedtime stories as Ardyn watched intently with a small smile from a nearby chair as he sketched drawings of you and your mother, or when your parents played duets on the piano together as they sang (a common pastime in their relationship since they both loved music) before they let you join in when they noticed you eavesdropping in the doorway. But your best memories were walks in the garden with your father as he let you ride on his shoulders until you were too big to ride, which led to you linking arms together before you sat under the shade of your family tree, both before and after your mother died. So all in all, you had a healthy childhood as a Lucian princess.

* In the meanwhile, the moment he returned from Niflheim with you and your mother, Ardyn discussed with his brother about his findings. The older Caelum brother was utterly sickened by what he witnessed in Niflheim: Mere children born from Verstael’s DNA being made in labs and factories only to be transformed into soldiers and even magical monsters. He also mentioned how Verstael had eyes for you and him, cooking up different, possible experiments for father and child in his brain the whole time you were in Niflheim. Sickened himself by this new knowledge and with permission from a council of representatives from all his political allies, Somnus led a covert invasion on Niflheim, which led to the rescue of one of these child soldiers by one of his nephews’ best soldiers, Cor. Growing attached to the bundle in his arms on the way back from the mission, Cor requested to keep the boy in his service and raise him as his own. Ardyn and Somnus immediately relented to this request, as to not make this boy grow up alone and unloved, and Prompto became a member of the Leonis clan. Through his father’s tutelage and love, Prompto grew into a healthy, happy child and eventually became one of your closest friends.

* But this betrayal from Ardyn and your mother (Mother’s Name), a lady-in-waiting in service to the emperor, only angered the emperor and his loyal scientist, who believed Lucis was out to get Niflheim. Therefore, Emperor Aldercapt sent Verstael as a representative to Lucis on the night of a grand ball meant to commemorate you and Prompto, as you two shared a birthday and had been rescued from Niflheim in the past. The day before the party, Ardyn decided to give you the birthday gifts early, as the two items were conjoined by their purposes. The first was an ornate music box that had a painted background of the royal family portrait to compliment holographic memories of your family that played like a home movie whenever the box was opened (all of which Ardyn had magically collected over the years) and a crystalline chiming tune, a constant melody that your parents played on piano. This was why your family ring (a black band with a diamond centerpiece) was so important, mainly because the box was only unlocked when light emitting from the diamond touched the lock on the front of the box. But the second gift actually came from your late mother (as she had it made before her death), and it was one that Ardyn held onto until now: A golden heart locket where inside, he had a picture of you, your mother, and him sketched on paper that was protected by a sheet of thin plastic inside so you could always carry them with you.

* But Verstael was quick to crash the party after you shared a dance with your father and the rest of your family. With full attention on him, he informed everyone that the Lucian royal family and other royal families who allied with Lucis would die. But more importantly, he vowed to get his “son” as well as you and Ardyn back so he could experiment on you. After leaving the party, Verstael gathered the imperial armies and waited outside the Lucian castle gates before the fiery blaze and bloodbath began. There was all this running and screaming inside the castle as Somnus and his family fled this way and that, Regis carried Noct in his arms as they fled another direction, and you and Ardyn fled the opposite way, especially when your path was blocked from your family’s by a fallen pillar covered in fire. However, you were lucky Prompto encountered you, as he ushered you out of a secret door that led straight to the road, where you and Ardyn could escape undetected since there were no imperial guards patrolling that area. However, in the process, you dropped your music box and tried to go back for it, but Prompto promised to retrieve it before he locked the door and the imperial guards burst in, some demanding the blonde go with them while others demanded lower-ranking soldiers to find you and Ardyn. But Prompto wasn’t going without a fight, which led him to be hit in the head by one of the guards as another guard noticed the music box by his feet, causing the guard to retrieve it as a paperweight present for Verstael’s bookshelves.

* In the meanwhile, you and Ardyn managed to make it outside as you ran on the road, holding hands, before Verstael ambushed the two of you, engaging in a tug-of-war with your father as you kicked at the scientist with your free leg and Ardyn pulled on your arm. After using his magic powers against Verstael to get you back, Ardyn pried you from the white-haired man’s grasp before you both sprinted away. But during the chaos of pushing through crowds of people as imperial guards ran this way and that to search for you and Ardyn, threatening violence upon Lucian citizens if they refused to give you and your father up. Upon noticing imperial guards closing in on you two, Ardyn started to power walk as you struggled to keep up. And in that moment, that was when you lost your father in the crowd as your hands released their iron grip on each other before you lost your footing, collapsing to the ground as you hit your head before Ardyn noticed your disappearance upon feeling how cold his hand was. Shoving people out of the way to search for you, Ardyn’s eyes widened as his heart raced and his actions became more frantic, screams ripping the open air as your name was constantly called, to no avail.

* A decade had passed since Ardyn last saw you, and he was still grieving your loss. Finding refuge with the royal family in Tenebrae, where he was reunited with the only Lucian royal family survivors (Regis and Noctis), Ardyn rarely left his room and tears always lined his face as he constantly stared at pictures of you and his late wife and even a painted wall portrait of the Lucian royal family (especially his late brother and the other family that perished in the attack), the chiming theme of your music box echoing in his room from the piano he statically played, sipping glass upon glass of wine. Sometimes, he became so angry with grief and denial that he would throw the wine glass against the wall, lamenting on all the loss in his life. From watching in the doorways when Ardyn was like this, Noctis had never seen his great uncle so somber except when he remembered your mother, but now with you gone, Ardyn was a shell of his former self, one that was once marked by youthful laughter and jovial jests. However, one thing Ardyn still held out hope for was that you were possibly alive. Though it was a slim chance in his mind, Ardyn still prayed that you were out there looking for him, as it was the only thing keeping him sane and diverting him from death by broken heart or suicide. Deciding to act upon Ardyn’s hopes after conversing with his relative about his own beliefs, Noctis requested permission from his father, and being granted it, he sent Gladiolus Amiticia, Prompto Leonis, and Ignis Scientia, his most trusted friends, with the task of locating you so they could bring you home.

* It just so happened that during the decade you disappeared, you had been rescued by three former mercenaries who defected from the empire upon learning the horrors of what they helped fight for: Aranea Highwind, Biggs, and Wedge. Knowing you were the missing Lucian princess from your ring and locket alone, they didn’t turn you into the empire for a reward or anything else, even if they would have done so in the past when they were mercenaries. Instead, they raised you to adulthood in the hopes that you would want to leave to find your family, as they quickly informed you that they had adopted you and that your real family was alive somewhere else. And just as they predicted, you wanted to find your family, so helping you pack a bag, they sent you on your way as you made your way to Altissia in the hopes you could find a clue. After all, Aranea informed you that your father loved the colorful, water-filled city and that he and your mother frequented the city at the start of their relationship and during their pregnancy with you.

* During the same decade of your disappearance, Prompto managed to gain Verstael’s trust by playing along with the scientist for the first few weeks of his capture until he managed to get the man alone, knocking him out over the head with a vase before stealing the man’s keycard, guns, and ammo so he could unlock all the doors and fight. During his breakout, he managed to find the lost music box that belonged to you, which was sitting on the scientist’s desk. Retrieving it as he secured it inside a zipper pocket on his jacket, Prompto successfully made it out of the snowy empire as he fled to Altissia, where he encountered his adoptive father. Cor couldn’t believe his eyes as he gazed upon the freckled baby face and cornflower blue of those big eyes, but there was no mistaking it: This was Prompto and he was alive! Embracing his son around the shoulders shakily, Cor immediately left Altissia with Prompto as a happy reunion occurred in the castle at Tenebrae between the blonde and what remained of the royal family and their allies. But when Prompto asked about your whereabouts, Ardyn’s crestfallen eyes even with a gentle smile and hug for the man’s safe return said it all. However, like Ardyn, even in grief, Prompto held out hope that you were still out there alive and looking for them. It was no wonder then that when he was tasked with looking for you, he jumped at the chance.

* Arriving in Altissia, you visited a painting that your father was rumored to love, as he enjoyed taking your mother to see it before they would ride a gondola and stop to get a bite to eat at their hotel. However, a British accent caught your attention as they remarked, “Remarkable painting, isn’t it?”

* “Yes, it is.” You nodded as you looked lovingly at the painting while clutching your locket to your chest before you continued, “My father used to visit here with my mother before she passed away from disease…They loved this city, but especially this painting. I wanted to visit here in memoriam after leaving my adoptive parents’ home, as I hope to find my family. I still hope they’re out there.”

* “And who was your family? What’s your name? Mine is Ignis Scientia, Milady, but you may refer to me as Iggy, as my friends do.” The British male, now known as Iggy, inquired before you answered, “I’m (Name), but I don’t remember my surname or who my family is…I just know I have one out there, as my adoptive parents claim. I hit my head when I was little, so I seem to have forgotten them…I’m sorry.”

* “Well, one thing is certain. She sure looks an awful lot like Princess (Name).” A booming voice remarked behind you as a large man appeared with his arm wrapped around your shoulders, which led to a scolding from Iggy by shouting out the name “Gladio.” However, a tall blonde with freckles and the biggest blue eyes you had ever seen was able to calm you as he replied, “I’m sorry about your memory loss but don’t worry, we’ll help you find your family. Truth be told, we’re looking for someone too.” However, this resulted in a yell of “Prompto” from Ignis as the blonde sheepishly apologized with his hands up in the air before you called out the blonde’s name, as if a flash of recognition lit up your face. Gazing at you based on the way you stared at Prompto, holding out hope that you were the princess herself, you seemed to deflate their hopes for a moment as you shook your head, “I’m sorry, it’s just, I used to know a boy with that name, but there might be another boy with the same name…I apologize for the mistake.” After conversing with the boys for a few moments more, you decided to journey with them, as Aranea informed you before you left that your father was Lucian despite your mother being from Niflheim. So if there was any hope of finding your father, you had to travel with these Lucian soldiers and friends of the crown prince.

* After journeying for miles in their car, being chased by imperial soldiers and magical creatures alike as well as nearly being possessed to jump off a cliff by Verstael’s magic until Prompto saved you, you managed to make it to your destination, where Lunafreya and Ravus, the prince and princess of the Tenebrae royal family, awaited you.

* During a light-hearted conversation over tea with the siblings, you were asked about your family, especially as Ravus noticed your ring and locket. While you didn’t remember your surname or who your family members were fully except for a few minor details such as Noctis warping away during games of tag with you when you were a child or your father being a traveling representative for his younger brother, one thing was certain: The night you were adopted, you remembered a freckled blonde boy with blue eyes assisting in you and your father’s escape as fire and bloodshed were evident outside based on all the screams until you got separated from your father and hit your head. All at once, Prompto gasped visibly as he stared at you, recognizing you as the princess right then and there before he pulled Ignis and Gladio into another room to discuss these findings with them. At once, Ignis and Gladio jumped for joy with Prompto in a group hug as they marveled that you finally found your family, even if you didn’t remember much as your memory was still repairing itself. But Prompto seemed sad because if you were the princess, you would never go for him. He was a commoner and you were royalty; it was a common, unwritten rule that princesses didn’t marry their servants and traditions were not easily broken. However, Iggy and Gladio reassured Prompto that he still had a chance, as the blonde had saved you and your father’s lives. They also knew you and the blonde always had a crush on each other, even as kids albeit without the other’s knowledge despite the class differences.

* With the Nox Fleuret siblings inviting you to an annual flora and fauna festival in Tenebrae, you accompanied the boys, with Prompto always having his arm linked with yours as you walked around the festival, marveling at the bright sylleblossoms and even at the Tenebrae royal canines, Pyrna and Umbra. At the same time, Noctis and Regis were preparing to meet you in person after learning from Ignis that they had most likely found you. But Ardyn didn’t want to get his hopes up as he prepared for the festival. Of course he wanted to believe that you were his precious (Name) Lucis Caelum, princess of Lucis. You were the last piece of his heart, his angel, his little pride and joy. Even though he was willing to entertain the idea that you were really his daughter, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was always the possibility that you weren’t his daughter. However, when the blonde who saved his life returned your music box to him the night before the festival, Ardyn had to take this chance. If Prompto believed it was you (and the blonde was usually right), Ardyn had to trust your rescuer.

* Nevertheless, he still accompanied his remaining family to the ceremony as Lunafreya and Ravus greeted them warmly with a kiss to each of their cheeks before the blondes in white called you and your male companions to them. Extending your hand out to shake King Ardyn’s kindly with the warmest smile, the man noticed your ring as he pulled away sharply with a shocked expression and a visible gasp before you asked him if something was wrong. Shaking his head with a mask of light-hearted grace, Ardyn requested an audience with you alone in his room as you accepted once Ignis informed you that it was alright. Walking arm-in-arm with Ardyn to his room, you led him to a nearby futon as he claimed he was weary before you sat down beside him. After a pause, Ardyn collected his thoughts as his curiosity got the better of him, “So, I hear from Ignis that you are searching for your family. Is that correct, my dear?”

* “Yes, Sir…I-I just want to find out who they are. I don’t have much information to go on, but what I do know, I remember quite vividly…And I believe that my locket and ring may be a clue, well, at least my adoptive parents said so.” You remarked as Ardyn’s eyes perked upwards while a startled tone exited his throat, “Locket? What locket?” Reaching under your high-necked dress to pull your locket forward, you allowed Ardyn to grasp it as he clicked it open. Once the picture was in full view and he compared the little girl’s likeness with your adult one, things became quite clear. You were his (Name), his only daughter!

* Going over to his bedside table with a soft humming of a tune as you watched in awe at this man who reminded of you someone dear to your heart, Ardyn retrieved the music box and presented it to you before you gasped visibly with a hand over your mouth as you laughed, “My music box! Oh, thank you for finding it. But where was it? I thought I lost it forever.”

* “A special blonde with freckles and blue eyes managed to find it, and he returned it to me so I could give it back to you.” Ardyn chuckled when he pat your head as if you were still a little kid before you laughed at his fatherly antics, opening the box with your ring in the way you remembered someone similar to Ardyn taught you to. When the familiar chiming entered your ears, it was as if your prayers to God had been answered as the fogginess of your memories cleared up enough to help you remember your family, especially with those holograms dancing in front of your eyes. Though all your memories hadn’t been restored yet, those that did return were triggered by those holograms and the ones of your father shone the brightest in your present awareness when they were restored. Without another word, tears pooled in your (eye color) eye as tears streamed down from Ardyn’s face in sync with yours before you collided into each other’s arms, broken chokes of air echoing openly without pause as you couldn’t bear to let each other go again. This time, Ardyn’s grip never released from your shoulders and yours never released from his waist as sobs of “Father” and “my angel” left your lips. And peering in from afar, Prompto wiped away his own tears as he smiled at the tender scene he gazed upon from the crack in the doorway, relieved to know you found your family again.

* The next morning, right before the sun rose, you were awakened by the most beautiful sounds of what resembled a piano. Braiding your hair after you showered and dressed for the day, you made your way through the long halls in search of the source of the melodic chiming before you came across your father, who was deep in contemplation with his eyes closed and a peaceful grin upon his visage as the music carried him away to another place and time. Tip-toeing inside the room while keeping your voice down, you managed to approach Ardyn as you sat across from him on a different bench, elbows pressed into your thighs as you leaned your cheek on one fist, staring lovingly at your father as he played and began to hum. Once he was finished, your father chuckled low in his throat, his eyes still closed, “I know you’re there, my dear heart.” Giggling into your palm, you joked, “Oh, am I, Father?” Leaping from the bench to pull you into a hug, your father kissed your cheek as you bat his face away from yours playfully before pulling apart. Then, looking at you tenderly as he brushed a stray hair from your face, Ardyn took a second longer to just stare at you in silence before he asked, “Did I wake you?” Shaking your head with a smile, you replied, “I heard your playing and it reminded me of you and Mother…It was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.” Kissing your forehead as he held your hand, Ardyn nearly teared up again after you kissed his temple before resting your weary head on his shoulder, pressing random piano keys with a reminiscent smile before Ardyn rested his cheek upon your head, electing to match your random piano key presses with harmonies to match some of the songs he played for you and your mother.

* With a small rapping at the door, Noctis called out to you two, informing you of breakfast, as Ardyn informed the man the door was unlocked before your cousin was in full view, alongside your uncle Regis. With teary eyes and a whisper of your name, Noctis stuck his tongue out at you playfully to add some joy to the mood as you mimicked him with a giggle before drawing him into your arms, burying your face into his shoulder as he hid his tears in your hair. At the same time, Regis enveloped his son and niece into a hug as Ardyn chuckled from his seat at the piano bench before the four of you went to breakfast together, reminiscing on old stories with plenty of laughter and smiles to surround the table for a lifetime.

* After you had successfully and safely been reunited and returned to what remained of your family, Ardyn, Regis, and Noctis were quick to thank Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis as well as your adoptive parents (Aranea, Biggs, and Wedge). However, Prompto was the one thanked the most, especially by Ardyn and Noct, but when offered anything he desired, Prompto decided not to take anything. All he wished was your happiness with a man of similar class to you, as Prompto knew he could never be that man. However, Ardyn was quick to reassure the blonde that should he change his mind, your hand in marriage would always consider him a worthy candidate and his blessing would always be upon your marriage. In gratitude for Ardyn’s kindness, Prompto hugged the king when large arms ushered the blonde closer before the younger boy watched you at the homecoming party from the shadows, smiling to himself before beginning to depart for home. But as he walked away, a nagging feeling kept poking at him. He couldn’t leave you without a proper goodbye; it wouldn’t be right, given it took him a decade to find you. That’s why he went in search of you but couldn’t find you in the crowd. However, he noticed you heading towards the outer gardens as he wondered why you would be going there rather than staying inside the castle, so he decided to follow you.

* Noticing Prompto wasn’t in the crowd where you could see him, you asked your father where he might be. At once, your father asked if you cared about Prompto to want to know his whereabouts all of a sudden and when you replied that he was your friend but that you had feelings for the blonde that you couldn’t explain in words, Ardyn urged you to find him and speak together alone. Shimmying around the guests, you thought it strange that Prompto would head to the outer gardens and then into the forest. Nevertheless, you continued to follow the blonde, unaware that a familiar figure was following you from behind the whole time.

* At the same time, Noctis and Ardyn noticed you had been absent from the party for a long time, so your father went to look for you as he encountered your cousin, questioning him as to where you were. When Noctis posed a similar question, believing you were with Ardyn, the two men began to fear the worst as Noctis noticed Prompto wandering away outside, which caused him to gather his men while Ardyn informed Regis of the recent events, asking him to stall the guests to reduce cause for alarm while he went looking for you.

* Once you reached the edge of the woods, you were out of breath in your gown as you panted with a hand on your hip before you giggled, “There you are, Prom. Listen, I have to tell you something, so if you could just come into the light.” When no response came from the man, you giggled and believed he was playing a prank as you wandered further in the darkness before you noticed the gleam on this man’s eyes. Something wasn’t right; he wasn’t your Prompto. Prompto’s eyes were blue like a cornflower and they sparkled like water. But this man’s eyes, they flashed like a robot being activated and there was nothing but malice behind them. Swinging a sharp axe towards you, you managed to duck in time as you sprinted in the opposite direction, your gown snagging on tree branches as your hair came undone before you tripped over tree roots onto a dry patch of dust close to the edge of a cliff. At once, an eerie mist surrounded the area as you gazed up to see a white-haired, balding man clad in black, eyes gleaming like the fake Prompto’s as his smirk was as sinister as a cartoon villain’s. Asking him who he was and what he wanted, he cackled maniacally before he replied, “Oh, don’t tell me you forgot, my dear. Maybe a little heat will jog your memory.” Setting the forest ablaze around you, your mind flashed back to when you were a little girl, the attack on your family ringing in your ears as you smelled the smoke and heard the screams. With your mind back in the present, you recognized the man instantly as you hissed his name, “Verstael, it’s you! You killed my family!”

* Cackling again as he sauntered around you with the grace of a panther ready to pounce, Verstael smirked as he yanked your neck back by casting dominion over you with his hand in your hair. Then, he kept up his smirk as you tried to escape his grip before he vowed, “I did kill the majority of the Lucian bloodline, but there are still more. When I’m through with you, as no one will save you, I’ll destroy the rest of them.”

* “That’s what you think, you crusty old man!” Prompto hollered as he released a shot at the man, the smell of gunfire and the impact of the bang creating a white flash in your vision just as the man staggered. Dropping you as you screamed and managed to grab a vine in the nick of time before you fell to your death, you prayed the vine wouldn’t snap as Prompto slid to the edge of the cliff and reached his hand to you.

* Appearing behind Prompto, Verstael summoned a daemon machine to fight as he commanded “Immortalis” to attack Prompto, who he removed from you so no one could help you escape the cliff’s edge. However, your family and friends were quick to offer assistance as Noctis warped to your spot on the cliff, wrapping an arm around your waist as he winked at you before he warped you both to a tree. But the debris that fell from the cliff made Verstael believe you dead, which caused him to cackle in joy as he vowed death on Noctis, Regis, and Ardyn next. Knowing you were safe with Noctis in the tree, the others kept to the plan of distracting Immortalis so Ardyn could deliver a devastating final blow. However, while shooting at the monster, Prompto believed the sounds coming from the cliff’s edge meant you had fallen to your death, so he was willing to go over to save you until Verstael’s beast shoved him away and continued to shoot red laser beams at him. With Verstael and Immortalis kept occupied, you asked Noctis to let you fight as he handed you one of his blades before he winked, “I thought you would never ask.” Warping down from the tree to crash into Immortalis, Noctis stabbed this way and that way while you teleported to your father, signaling a plan to attack Verstael directly to stop the monster from killing all of you as well as those still inside the castle. With a yell of Verstael’s name, Ardyn summoned a horde of magic to his palm as he smirked, “You want my daughter and I’s powers? Fine, you can have them.” With that opening, you rushed Verstael as you tackled him to the ground, wrestling with him for control over Immortalis, which was being controlled by magic born from his hatred of your family. Once he was fully occupied, the fight with the monster became a walk in the park, as without Verstael, the monster would lose its will to fight. However, just as you got your fingers over your head to aim your blade at Verstael so his monster would go down with him, Verstael gripped your shoulders and tossed you away as if you weighed about the size of a frisbee. Raising his hands above his head to end you with a final blow of magic, Prompto jumped on the old man’s back as he managed to gain control momentarily to provide you with an opening before Verstael chucked the blonde off him, causing him to grunt in agony as he collided with a tree. Angered by Verstael’s treatment of your protector, you remembered all the spells your father taught you as your eyes glowed magenta and your hands glowed (favorite color). Surrounding Verstael in an inescapable triangle, the old man pressed against the barrier and attempted to counter it only to find himself powerless as Noctis and Ardyn upheld their ends of the barrier, their own eyes glowing magenta too. Aiming all attacks at Verstael while Gladio and Ignis kept Immortalis at bay, the old man crumpled into the fetal position after too many hits as he screamed like a banshee before Ardyn announced while shooting the man with his magic, “This is for my brother and our family!” Next, Noctis shot blasts of magic at Verstael as he shouted, “And this was for destroying our home!” Finally, you got into the mix as you shouted breathlessly, not so used to practicing magic even though you were holding your own very well, “And…this…This is for Prompto!”

* With a final blast from you, your father, and your cousin to end this fight, light blanketed the forest as Immortalis fell, mirroring its master as Verstael perished inside the barrier. After making sure the imperial scientist was vanquished once the smoke cleared, you took a breather with everyone else before you remembered Prompto, who was still unconscious by the tree. Rushing to his side, you cradled him in your arms as you urged him to awaken, brushing stray hairs away from his face, before he started to stir. At once, your excitement was too much to bear as you started to hug him, causing the others to laugh as the scene was too cute to deny before you helped Prompto to his feet, “You saved my life again…Thank you, Prom.”

* “Anytime, your highness.” Prompto nodded as he managed to balance on his feet without toppling over before you asked, “How come I didn’t see you in the crowd back at the party? You were the one I wanted to see most of all.” With a slow gulp and a sheepish glance towards the ground, Prompto hesitated to answer until it only came out as a stutter, “I thought…I…Maybe you…”

* “What he means to say is that he loves you, (Nickname), just as I know you love him.” Noctis explained on behalf of you and Prompto as you looked to the blonde for confirmation, “Is this true?” Giving a small nod, Prompto refused to contain himself as a commoner secretly in love with royalty any longer as he enveloped you in his arms, pulling you into a tender kiss that you quickly reciprocated. Pulling away from the kiss, you and Prompto smiled at each other before Ardyn informed your friend, “You know, the offer still stands, Prompto. Every princess needs a prince and just because tradition mandates that she marry someone of noble birth, it doesn’t have to be so. If royalty created an unwritten rule, so too can they recreate it. As one of the last kings of Lucis, I permit my angel to take any man she chooses as her husband, and I sure hope it’s you. I know my fellow kings would agree.” With a nod from Noctis, a smile graced your face as Prompto mirrored your expression before you chose him right then and there with another kiss to his lips and a verbal declaration of your love to the blonde commoner.

* Within a year, you and Prompto were married as the former commoner was included as an official member of the royal family, as indicated by the new family portrait that as made with you, Regis, Noctis, Lunafreya, Ravus, Ardyn, and Prompto. Also within that same year, you and Prompto were blessed with pregnancy, and although the children hadn’t been born yet, you figured that you would either birth a single daughter or maybe a fraternal pair with one of each. You lived in peace with your husband, the man who saved your life more times than you could count, and you loved each other to the highest degree forevermore. Nothing could ever tear you apart again except the inevitability of Death, but as far as other threats to your kingdom, Prompto would protect you, this he promised. In the same breath, you promised to look after him and all of those who helped you return to your family, making sure they were well-taken care of in gratitude for their help. You and Prompto’s was a pure love, graced by God as He always brought you back together after a long separation and always protected you both from harm. As you closed the chapter on this book to begin a new one, a new unwritten rule was formed, where love was not bound by politics but by the choice of the heart. Satisfied to see your people marry who they chose just as you were the prime example, you and Prompto lived happily ever after.


	8. Noctis Lucis Caelum x Fem! Reader - Little Mermaid AU Headcanons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Greetings, here’s another AU for my favorite character, Noctis. Please enjoy. :)

* Originating from the beautiful, watery city of Altissia, you lived a life of solitude aside from a couple human friends, as they were the only ones who knew of your existence after a chance encounter with them by lakes as they traveled to heal the sick and injured of the land. One of which was Lunafreya, an Oracle and princess of Tenebrae. The other was Ardyn, a former king of Lucis who decided to live a life of solitude as a traveling healer alongside his younger female apprentice. The third man was Ravus, Lunafreya’s brother and the protector among the traveling healers. Simply put, you were a half-breed of land and sea, making you a mermaid like from the days of ancient lore. Mermaids were not well-known in Eos, as they had gone into hiding and mistrust of humans to avoid persecution for studies of their magical properties by those in Niflheim or being hunted down after being mistaken for daemons. However, you were different from most of your kind since you decided to go to the land above, one way or another even if there were risks involved. After all, living under the sea could be as cold and dark as the depths of Leviathan’s domain, especially as your parents were nothing more than a statistic of those hunted or experimented upon. Though you had some brief human interactions whenever you went on land to Altissia or whenever your healer friends visited you at your home by the sea, you were very lonely. Even surrounded by people, you were extremely lonely…until the day you encountered a young man who changed your life forever.

* Traveling on his merry way with his friends across Eos with his father’s car and permission, Noctis decided to take a break fishing with Prompto, who wanted to take pictures of the lake near their campsite, while Gladio gathered some firewood and Ignis began cooking dinner, envisioning all sorts of recipes based on what types of fish Noctis could catch in this area. Sitting beside Noctis as he fished, Prompto readied his camera and began snapping pictures of everything in sight, mainly just in case his best friend caught a big one on the line. Deciding to pass the time since fishing was a craft for the patient and quiet, Noctis and Prompto decided to play a game on their phones, challenging each other, with Noctis beating Prompto at every turn until the blonde pulled a sneaky move, causing the black-haired man to hiss as the blonde laughed. But all of a sudden, the prince felt a tug on the line as it squealed with every yank on the spool, causing Noctis to nearly drop his phone as he threw it to Prompto and clutched the rod for dear life. Engaging in tug-of-war with the line, Noctis would move the rod this way and that, then pause to crank the reel. As the cycle repeated for several minutes at a time, Noctis finally managed to tire his catch out as he attempted to reel them in. However, the fish managed to pull him into the lake as Noctis tumbled forward with a yelp, rod and all, as Prompto called out to his friend. With a snapped line and a splintered rod, Noctis cursed profanities under his breath as he bat the shallow water while Prompto asked his friend if he was okay with gentle hands on his shoulders. Nodding that he was fine but that he needed a new rod and fishing line, Noctis pulled himself to his feet with Prompto’s help and was just about to head back to camp with the little fishes he had already caught until he heard a pleasant melody and the trickling of water nearby. Ignoring his friend’s calling of his name, Noctis’s distracted baby blues blinked in awe while he held a gentle hand in the air, producing an inquiry for Prompto, “Do you hear that?”

* “Hear what, dude?” Prompto asked before Noctis asked him to listen, shushing him with a finger over his lips as Prompto mimicked his friend. Taking a moment to bask in the silence of the lake, Noctis heard the melody again along with the rippling water as Prompto whispered with a smile, “You’re right cause I hear something too. What do you think it could be, Noct?”

* “I don’t know, but I’d like to find out.” Noctis replied as he and Prompto crouched to the ground, inching closer towards the source of the sound as they followed the lake to a rocky crag, where a waterfall flowed below into another oasis. Focusing on only the audio, it seemed to resemble a female vocalizing to compliment the splashing of the water. Upon further inspection at the edge of the cliff, Noctis and Prompto gazed upon a beautiful woman who was singing a song as she cupped water in her hands in order to wash her dominant leg, which was bleeding profusely if the sudden red in the lake was anything to go on. Enamored by her voice alone, Noctis stared lovingly at the woman with his fist cradling his cheek as his elbow rested on his knee while Prompto decided to get a picture of the woman on his camera. However, nobody expected the cliff’s ledge to crumble under Noctis’s feet as he tried to get his footing again to no avail before he made a gravity-driven descent. Plummeting down, even after throwing his sword to warp to a tree at the last second, Noctis crashed against the water as if he had ran into a brick wall before he sunk like a stone. Screaming Noctis’s name, Prompto ran down the cliff as rocks rained down from the hill from his feet, which constantly lost their balance until he quickly regained himself, before you stopped cleaning your leg with a startled expression upon seeing Prompto scream for his friend. Jumping into action without much coercion, you dove under the water as you noticed the black-haired man sinking below, his eyes closed as bubbles escaped from his nose and mouth to indicate a fate of drowning was inevitable if you didn’t do something. Pulling up on the man’s shoulders as you braced him against you, you noticed that a coil of rope laying on the muddy floor enveloped his ankle. Producing scales on your dominant arm, you cut the rope to free his leg before you pulled up on the man again as he began to float freely, dissipating your scales before you got to shore so you wouldn’t startle the humans. Guiding Noctis to the surface, you flipped your hair back with a gargantuan breath of air before you noticed the blonde on the shore. Carrying the man you rescued on your back as you breast and butterfly-stroked the water, you leapt onto shore as you handed the man to the blonde male, who asked about his friend’s condition before you pleaded with him, “No, move, back up! Give him some air! His lungs are water-logged so he needs CPR.” Following your commands shyly, Prompto watched over your every move to make sure you were a friend rather than a foe before he asked, “Who are you?”

* “(Name)…I’m from Altissia but I was just in the area.” You answered as you pressed your hands against Noctis’s chest, pumping his heart to kickstart a reaction before you pulled his face to yours, breathing into his mouth as you took the water into your mouth to open his lungs. After a few chest compressions and breathes against his mouth, Noctis shot awake as he rolled to his side, vomiting up water as Prompto pat the man’s back to help him along. Once Noctis was lucid, he gazed upon Prompto as the blonde asked if he was okay before the drenched male nodded with half-lidded eyes. Then, noticing you, Noctis stopped you as you tried to flee with a call of your name after Prompto had provided it, “Wait, please, (Name)!” This halted your flight as you took a deep breath with closed eyes before turning back to give the black-haired man a chance to explain himself, “Prompto and I want to thank you for helping us, well, helping me especially…By the way, my name’s Noctis. Please, if there’s anything we can do to help you, we will.” Turning to Noctis, you smiled gently as you shook your head, “No need for thanks. I’ll always save anyone in need. But you needn’t do anything for me. I was just visiting from Altissia; I love this lake. But I should be going.” That’s when you tried to leave again, but you were quickly stopped again.

* “You’re hurt?” Noctis questioned with wide eyes as he noticed the cut still bleeding on your leg before you shook your head, “Oh, it’s just a cut. No harm, no foul.” However, Noctis wasn’t buying it as he handed a green vial to Prompto without hesitation, who ran to you and held your hand, smashed the vial in his hands as something that sounded similar to glass breaking filled the air. All of a sudden, a pleasant warmth enveloped your leg, coating it in magic as the bleeding ceased completely. Though it didn’t get rid of the cut completely since the wound was too deep, it did manage to stop the burning and bleeding. However, Noctis rose to his feet to rejoin Prompto as he offered, “Why don’t you come back to our camp with us? We could make sure we get that leg properly wrapped and make sure you’re fed and clothed properly.” You shook your head with both outstretched palms seemingly pushing the two men away as you countered, “Oh, I couldn’t intrude. I’m fine sleeping by the lake. I’ve done it plenty of times, just as I’ve walked on foot to places.”

* “All by yourself and without a warm sleeping bag? No, you couldn’t possibly do that. You’d catch cold if you did that and even if you didn’t get cold, the daemons would get you, especially if you’re on foot.” Prompto argued before you grinned, “Aside from a few friends, I may be alone but I’ve camped like this before. I love the sound of the water as I sleep. As for daemons, I can handle them with my elemancy.” Feeling sorry for you, Noctis immediately made you an offer you found difficult to refuse as his tone was kind, “Well, my friends and I wouldn’t mind having a guest in our camp. You saved my life so please, stay with us.” Thinking to yourself, you looked back to Noctis as you asked, “Are you sure?” Giving a small nod back to you, you smiled back at Noctis as you accepted his deal and accompanied him to his camp.

* After it seemed as though Noctis and Prompto were gone too long, Ignis and Gladio were about to go looking for the men until they noticed their friends in the distance, waving with spread palms as they reassured their friends that they were safe and sound before Ignis asked Noctis why he was all wet. With Prompto filling in the blanks of the story alongside Noctis, the situation was made clear to Ignis and Gladio before they noticed you, immediately offering their gratitude for your bravery as you downplayed your heroism as nothing more than a part of your personality. Asking you to join them for dinner for saving their prince’s life, Gladio produced an extra seat for you while Noctis retrieved the first aid kit from Ignis’s belongings in their car. Stretching your leg out to rest on his knee, Noctis rubbed in a soothing salve to your cut as you couldn’t help but stare at him kindly, your eyes glimmering as the fire crackled and shimmered orange on your vision before he grabbed a large waterproof bandage. Tearing the packaging apart with his teeth when he couldn’t get it open with his fingers before he spit out the plastic, you giggled into your hand before Noctis smiled warmly at you. Sticking the waterproof bandage on your cut, Noctis was careful in his gentleness before he pat your leg, returning to his seat beside yours, which was arranged in-between his and Prompto’s. At the same time, Prompto gave you a change of spare clothes to replace your drenched ones (which appeared to be all you had) as he apologized there weren’t any to fit you except for his and Noctis’s but that the new clothes would keep you warm for the time being. Thanking him for his help, you asked the men to turn away, and like perfect gentlemen, they gave you privacy until you announced that it was okay for them to look at you.

* After a few moments of cooking the fish Noctis has caught earlier, Ignis handed you a warm plate of fragrant food, which led you to thank him with a gentle grin as you took a bite and savored its taste. Remarking on its flavor and how you had never tasted anything like it before (as your main diet consisted of plain sea life and water even though you were an omnivore), Ignis remarked that there was plenty left before the men began to converse with you. Learning you didn’t have parents due to Niflheim’s influence but that you had few friends and that you were often camping alone on foot near lakes without even a tent or sleeping bag, the men felt sad for you. But when they learned you were a practicing magician, they were ecstatic to see what you could do and even invited you to tag along with them to Altissia since they were going by there anyways and Prompto had informed his companions you were originally from there. With the utmost politeness in your manners, you attempted to refuse but with Noctis staring at you the way he was, those large baby blues pleading with you to stay by his side until you got to Altissia, you couldn’t pass that opportunity up. After helping Ignis clean up dinner, you retired to Noctis and Prompto’s tent for the night, as there were only two tents at camp and they didn’t want you sleeping outside. Remarking that you had never been inside a tent but that it looked like the inside of a magical cave, Noctis and Prompto couldn’t help but smile at your innocence before they piled into the tent with you, curling up into their sleeping bags as you curled up into yours before everyone called it a night.

* The next morning, you and the men set out for your journey to Altissia. Traveling by car for several weeks without many stops at campsites near lakes (at your request), about several miles before you all reached Altissia, you reached a lakeside camp site before sunset. While Ignis was cooking dinner and Gladio was training with Prompto and Noctis, you retreated to the lake by your lonesome to strip, remove your bandage to reveal a scar (as Gladio had predicted days ago based on his personal experience), and jump into the lake. After all, your body needed full water immersion after being deprived for so long. With the coolness of the water cradling your body, you began to splash around as you breast-stroked and butterfly-stroked in and out of the lake’s surface. Completely soaked as the sun set on your face, you combed your fingers through your hair as water dripped down your face before you shook out your tail (which only came out whenever you were fully emerged underwater without your necklace on, as Ardyn had provided you with this enchanted necklace charm in order to allow you a human form for short periods of time so long as the jewelry was never removed from your person and you kept hydrated with water while on land unless you wanted to suffer death from water deprivation), the flippers swaying to and fro as water splashed upwards like rain with each kick. After wading around in the water calmly once you tired yourself out from sprinting on your tail rather than your legs, you fiddled with the necklace in your hands as you thanked Ardyn inwardly for his spell as it allowed you the appearance of being human even if it came with cons in the form of daemon hunters, Niflheim scientists, or dehydration. However, as he was a second father to you, Ardyn was glad to help and in the past, he even informed you that the secret to making the spell permanent (so you could at least choose what form you wanted on command) was finding true love with a human. Though you believed that this would be hard, every time you thought of Noctis, you hoped you had a chance with him. But you didn’t feel right lying to him about yourself, and the more you thought of telling him, the more it ate you up inside. You were not only scared of his reaction since you believed he would feel betrayed. But you also thought you would lose him and the others too once they learned you were hiding something.

* However, you were about to find out Noctis’s reaction to your mermaid form as he appeared at the lake to polish his sword and wash up for supper. He didn’t announce his presence since he didn’t notice you at first and he didn’t even know you were there, but once he heard you splashing around, his head popped up to see you from the back as he quickly registered it in his brain that you were naked, causing him to divert his eyes bashfully with reddened cheeks since he had never seen a girl naked before. But when he saw a flash of colors under the water that shimmered like gemstones and noticed a tail where legs should have been, even catching a glimpse of scaly patterns on your arms, Noctis couldn’t help but drop his sword as his eyes widened and his mouth formed an O. It couldn’t be! You couldn’t be like the mythical creatures his father told him about in bedtime stories when he was a kid. Unless you were Carbuncle or some daemon or a rare benevolent creature from a bestiary like a Naga or a black chocobo, Noctis wouldn’t believe something like you even existed. But he had always hoped he would see a mermaid at least once in his life since the mystery of their tales fascinated and intrigued him, especially when there were varying and sometimes misleading accounts depending on the author. Being a low-key nerd, you definitely exceeded his expectations of what a mermaid would look like. Words in a story and sketches in a book couldn’t accurately describe you in this form, for Noctis had never gazed upon something so ethereal in physical beauty and kind deeds. But in that moment, even when he feared the unknown, Noctis was enamored by you.

* However, he couldn’t help but stammer nervously since he couldn’t quite find his words as his index finger pointed at you, his eyes wide as he collapsed to the ground once he tripped over his feet and his fallen sword, “You’re a…You…” Frightened that he was going to reject you after seeing you in your most vulnerable state, you began a dive under the lake away from Noctis with tears in your eyes before he called out to you, scared you would disappear forever, “Wait, please, (Name)!” Stopping mid-swim as you closed your eyes and breathed in deeply through your mouth, you were in your own little world as the sloshing of the water by your hands calmed you down from your panic. If it was one thing about you, you knew you could trust Noctis because he was so kind and gentle, so giving into his pleas was always too easy because you knew he would never harm you. With the the clinks of metallic buttons on a jacket hitting the dirt and the thumps of a T-shirt crumpled beside the jacket, you soon felt a warm presence and a rippling behind you, with Noctis’s bare chest behind your bare back as he had waded in the water behind you. Though he was still clothed aside from his boxers and pants, his comfort was everything to you as he went under the water to wet his hair and body before he reached for your hand, beckoning you to join him for a swim. With widened eyes at how well he was handling this revelation, you couldn’t deny his kindness as you gave into his gestures, taking his hand in yours. Diving under the water, your tail swishing overhead before the cool liquids crashed around you and Noctis as he never let go of your hand during the descent, the black-haired man marveled at the sights surrounding him as he stared at your scaled arms and tail before he stifled a laugh to prevent loss of air as tiny fish brushed against his face.

* After a few moments underwater with Noctis never releasing your hand, you both burst to the surface. With your hair flipping over your head, you and Noctis took a deep breath before staring at each other. With soft hands against your cheeks, Noctis cradled the warm skin against his warmer palms as you wrapped both of your arms around his neck. Threading your fingers in his hair close to the nape of his neck while his hands replaced their grip on your face to instead wrap around your neck, your (eye color) irises and his blue ones gleamed in the moonlight as it rose in the sky, you and Noctis still staring into each other’s eyes. Not a single word needed to be said as being in each other’s arms was enough, but Noctis soon broke the silence with the genesis of an interrogation as he begged of you, “Please, (Name), talk to me…Why didn’t you tell me about this side of you?” Staring at the man, your stomach did somersaults as you asked, “You aren’t angry or scared of me? Most people would think I’m a Naga’s kid or something and hunt me for my tail or scales to hang on their wall.” Shaking his head to indicate his beliefs, Noctis continued to hold you as he quipped, “Nah, I don’t care about that kind of stuff. Actually, I think mermaids are kinda fascinating since they are so mysterious…My dad always told me stories about them, but I never thought they actually existed until I saw you. I thought they were just stories and old wive’s tales made up to entertain children and sailors.” Joking back with a smile that you were real, your eyes suddenly became downcast as you continued to hold Noctis and be held by him in return. After thinking carefully about your next sentence, you whispered low in Noctis’s face as you tried to make him understand, “I…I didn’t want you to see me any differently, you know?…It’s just, mermaids usually hide from humans because they don’t know who to trust, so I thought ‘what human in their right mind would ever love a mermaid like me?’ Besides, some humans use my people for nefarious purposes…especially the Nifs and their experiments to use our magic and the daemons against Lucis. My parents are nothing more than a statistic of those who never made it back because they were taken for experimentation-Not that I think you and your friends would do anything like that because I trust you, 100%! I’m not like most of my people since I love being on land and being surrounded by its more benevolent people…But, I just thought it would be better if I didn’t show this side of me because I didn’t want you or the others to get hurt protecting me.”

* “Well, I love you just as you are, and I promise I’ll keep you and your secret safe. As the prince of Lucis, I swear to you that you have my word.” Noctis grinned warmly as he brushed a long, thick lock of your hair away from your face, electing to inch his face closer to yours as he awaited permission from you to continue. With a teary smile and a stroke of your curled index finger against his cheek, you leaned in closer to him before your lips graced his. You had never felt anything like this, so warm and soft. It made you feel so loved and wanted, even more so than when you were with your friends or his. For once in your life, you didn’t feel so lonely anymore as the cold and darkness of your solitude melted away with his kiss. Savoring the kiss for a few moments since you didn’t want to pull away even when the air was escaping you both, you were the first to pull away as you stared up at Noctis as he stared down at you. Still noticing you were naked caused a crimson warmth across Noctis’s face as you giggled sheepishly, but it didn’t change a thing since he disregarded that fact and continued to hold you against him. With soft smiles exchanged between you both, you and Noctis floated around the water as he asked you to tell him more about you and your kind. With a small nod, you did your best to explain everything to Noctis as he patiently awaited your stories. You told him all about your necklace and how it worked, how the charm allowed you human form even when blanketed in water so long as it was never taken off, and how any water-based liquid would keep you from dehydrating so long as you were submerged for a small period of time. You even told him about the healers you met who provided you with the enchanted charm, which caused you to smile as you remembered the fatherly Ardyn or the giving Lunafreya, even the low-key brother figure with the mask of a sourpuss, Ravus. The whole time you spoke, his eyes never left yours as your words and gestures captivated him. But the most shocking story was how you got the scar on your leg the day you both met after you saved him from drowning. In actuality, you were swimming without your necklace on in the lake he was fishing in and his hooked rod had snagged your tail. You two had to laugh because he nearly wrestled with what he believed was a big one for supper had you not snapped his line and broken his rod. So when he and Prompto saw you at the lake, you were cleaning your wound after putting your necklace back on. Although it killed Noctis inside to know he wounded you in the first place, he was glad to see you didn’t hold any ill will towards him, as your smile and touches in this moment were gentle in their comforting of his guilt. And not even a week ago, you did fork over what little gil you had left to fix his fishing equipment without him asking anyone to do so. It was no wonder then that Noctis had a lot of gratitude and love for you, just as you had for him.

* After your swim, you both waded back to shore as the man exited the water first. Shaking out his hair with his fingers, Noctis conjured fire to dry your clothes and his for a few minutes until they were like bones before he turned away to give you privacy so you could get dressed. Shaking yourself off as you wrung out your hair by hand, you secured it back into a braid before you dressed and informed Noctis it was okay to look at you again. Gazing upon you from a distance, Noctis’s baby blues sparkled with joy as yours gleamed with the same intensity. Linking hands starting with your fingers, you and Noctis trekked back to camp together just as Ignis finished supper. With Prompto asking where you two had gone, Noctis remarked that you and him went for a swim before the blonde and the buff soldier noticed the tender hand-holding. Saying nothing more since it was quite obvious what was happening, Noctis’s friends grinned at you as you and the black-haired man shared a chair, drawing patterns into each other’s hands with laughter in your throats until you had to eat. But after dinner, you and Noctis were always around each other, holding hands. Feeling sorry for hurting your leg, Noctis constantly brushed his hands over your scar and with the pleasant tingling of his fingers against the sensitive skin, you couldn’t help but laugh more before you cradled his head against your chest, stroking his hair with the same gentleness he had shown your scar. You two were even sharing a sleeping bag together, leaving Prompto no choice but to take a picture of you two while you slept since you looked adorable.

* Arriving in Altissia, you and the boys took in the sights of the grand city as you and Noctis stayed beside each other. But even when taken home after weeks of traveling together, you couldn’t get enough of each other. To be honest, Noctis and the others didn’t want you to leave since they enjoyed your company and you didn’t want to leave either since you enjoyed theirs. Only true love from a human could make your spell permanent and allow you to shape-shift back and forth between human and mermaid, and with Noctis, you actually believed you had a chance.

* However, Niflheim was quick to crash the tender moments you shared with Noctis and the others in the city as fire shot into the sky and shrapnel exploded everywhere. Ducking and covering as you helped lead civilians to safety, you and Noctis became separated as the city crashed around you, plummeting it down into the waves. Falling into the water with Ignis, the brunette coughed with his head above the water while he called your name in a panic, stroking the water to find you until your head popped up. Asking where Noctis was, you informed Ignis that you saw Noctis fall into the water close to the altar, which caused him to worry as he attempted to locate a motorboat to find his friend. However, you were quick to offer your assistance as you took your necklace off, zipping it up in the pocket of your shirt. At once, scales lined your arms and your tail replaced your legs, making the water glow all kinds of colors while Ignis gasped inwardly. Beckoning the British-accented male to hop onto your back, the brunette couldn’t help relenting as he barbed sarcastically, “So this is what Noct was hiding when you two would swim together alone. I thought something was ‘fishy’ about you.” Laughing at his small joke, you remarked that he really did know everything before your mind focused on the task at hand. After all, Noctis was more important right now than your revelation of being a mermaid.

* Making your way to the altar, you managed to find Noctis fighting off Imperial soldiers left and right. Urging you to hurry, you took heed of Ignis’s warning as you zoomed through the water with him on your back before you made it to shore. With assistance out of the water from Prompto and Gladio, they gasped at your mermaid form as you kicked your tail against the shore and tied your necklace back around your neck, which caused the tail to disappear, before you rolled your eyes, “Yeah, I’m a mermaid. But let’s help Noct first and then I’ll explain everything later.” Giving you a small nod, you leapt to your prince’s aid as your elemancy protected the men from harm. Smiling down at you, Noctis couldn’t contain his love for you as he said as much mid-battle until he had to duck to avoid a swiping axe from an Imperial soldier.

* After a few minutes of fighting, the soldiers had you all surrounded. But they mainly gunned for you since you were more valuable alive than dead. However, you refused to go down without a fight and end up like your parents, so Noctis made sure he wouldn’t almost lose you again. Dodging and blind-siding soldiers every which way, you and Noctis worked together against the soldiers until you were shot in the chest by enemy fire. Rolling around on the soaked pavement to stop the burning flames, you managed to put them out but you couldn’t save your necklace. Chucking it aside with a profane curse under your breath, you believed you didn’t need it as Noctis feared for your life, knowing you’d be more vulnerable if you ended up in the water. While he did his best to keep you from falling into the sea, you figured that going into the water was the best distraction, so you asked him to warp you into it using debris on the sea as an anchor for him to warp to. At once, Noctis hesitated since he didn’t want to lose you, but after begging him to trust you, the man believed your plan might actually work since the enemy’s machinery couldn’t enter the water without being destroyed unless they used debris to chase after you. So, holding tight to your waist, Noctis warped to a wood plank out in the ocean as he gripped his sword before he pulled it free. Climbing onto your back, colors swirled around your legs to reveal your tail and scaled arms. But in that moment, the transformation was much more delayed and more a byproduct of you wishing for your tail to appear again rather than an involuntary metamorphosis born out of conditional magic laws. When you hit the water and went under while Noctis was pulling his sword off the wood plank, you noticed it was harder for you to hold your breath during the delay, as if you had fully reverted to a human (similar to how you were when your necklace was on). It was then and there that you and Noctis realized that his true love for you had permanently changed you, making your form volitional based on personal preference.

* Appealing to the Niflheim army, you urged them to come and get you and Noctis. And just like a fish to a hook, the soldiers took the bait as they followed you into the water without thinking, some getting destroyed in the process when either their automaton filled with water and caused them to drown inside or the short-circuiting electrocuted the person piloting the machinery. Those who managed to use debris to their advantage chased after you and Noctis, but you two were faster by sea than by land. As your tail kicked desperately to speed you along, you did a great job avoiding enemy fire while Noctis would warp away to take down an enemy in a blindside with his friends before he would wrap back to you. And if you had to dive underwater to avoid enemies, you and Noctis did so as he held his breath.

* But nothing could prepare you for being knocked out of the water by enemy fire as you rose into the air, flying around with Noctis as you tried to reach for each other during the descent to the cobblestones of the city. As quick as a flash, Noctis seized your hand in his and warped to a light pole, which caused your legs and arms to return to human form after you willed it to do so. Surrounded by enemies again, you and Noctis stood back to back for another fight until your allies rejoined you, this time joined by your healer friends, who had arrived in the city to help upon seeing people flee in terror. With their help, you managed to subdue the enemy forces, leading to their retreat. Though Altissa was partially destroyed and needed repairs, the battle had been won. At the same time, Noctis had helped you gain volitional shape-shifting through his love and you gained a prince for a boyfriend. Glad to see you so happy, Ardyn and Lunafreya couldn’t contain their excitement as they reunited with you. Upon seeing you without a necklace, Ardyn could nevertheless sense a change in you and he remarked that he was glad to see you obtain your dream of living among those on land. Fashioning a new necklace for you so you would never forget him, you hugged the fatherly healer deeply as he returned the embrace before Noctis rejoined you.

* After the short reunion and a fireside chat with Noctis’s friends and your friends to join everyone, you explained everything to them. This caused Gladio to joke that maybe you would be a better fisher than Nochis as the prince punched his friend’s bicep while Prompto begged for a photo shoot of you and your tail for research and souvenir purposes, which you accepted to in gratitude for their kindness. Even Ignis was inviting towards you as he promised to make sure you visited your home so they would understand where you were born and raised. The brunette even promised to make sure that they had more frequent rest stops so you could always be hydrated with water without any repercussions.

* When all was said and done, after bidding your healer friends goodbye, you chose to join your friends in their car as you traveled through Eos together. Noctis even promised that you would meet his father soon and see his kingdom, just so he could show you his world as you had shown him yours. Kissing his lips in gratitude for his offer, you savored the journey ahead as you sat back in the car together, holding hands. True to his word, Noctis immediately took you to Regis, who welcomed you with open arms. As soon as he saw your true form, the older man was all giddy with a smile on his face as Noctis laughed at his father’s excitement, glad that his father got to see a real mermaid at least once in his life. And soon afterwards, you and Noctis were married as you were crowned as a princess despite your status as a commoner in your own culture. It was just as you always dreamed since you were a little mergirl: You were free to choose your form and you had found a human to love, and what better human to love than Noctis.


	9. Ignis Scientia x Fem! Princess! Reader - Tangled AU Headcanons

* Sylleblossom petals dancing on the wind near your home was a constant sight for you since you were a little girl, confined to live in Niflheim-occupied territory by Verstael, a man who stole you from your original home for your healing powers, especially since you were the daughter and middle child of a Tenebrae Oracle, Queen Sylva. For as long as you could remember being in his custody, he was your father and your tower was your sanctuary. But there was always something inside you that pushed you to seek for things outside in the world, as you wanted adventure and more knowledge about yourself since things never quite added up whenever he referred to you as his daughter.

* One day, your “father” left you alone in the tower to convene with the emperor in Zegnautus Keep, and while you were inside the tower, a man with a British accent happened upon the tall architecture while traveling with his friends. Climbing atop it in the hopes they would find much-needed supplies, the man finally reached the top, helping his friends up the sides as they brushed themselves off before exploring the interior. At once, Ignis’s green orbs caught sight of signs that someone was currently living here, as a fire was still going in the fireplace and there were clothes tied together to form a makeshift rope as they led towards the window. This led him to believe that someone was trying to escape the tower since Gladio was the first to notice there were no other windows or any doors at all except for the single window at the top.

* Upon hearing loud intruders inside your tower while you were packing a bag, you quietly crept along the wall of your bedroom as you reached for a spear to defend yourself with. At the same time, hearing a quiet rustling coming from the back of the tower, Ignis hushed his friends with his hands and his tone as he armed himself with knives, lighting them up with elemancy before he told them to stay behind him in the event there was a hostile person living in the tower. With him inching ever closer to your bedroom, you awaited for him to enter the darkness after you turned out the lights before you noticed flames on his blades, providing him with a makeshift torch to compliment the flashlight disk on his coat. Once he was fully inside, you cried a guttural battle scream as you hit him over the back with the blunt of the spear before he shimmied around your hits and threw the spear away from you, causing it to roll under your bed. Maneuvering behind you with his knife pressed against your neck as his other hand gripped your body against him so you were powerless to move, the man hissed in your face as he inquired, “Is there anyone else in this tower? Don’t you dare lie to me, Nif. Is there anyone else?” Shaking your head, you became angered by his assumptions as you barked back, “My name’s not Nif. It’s (Name). And there’s nobody else here but me. The only other person that lives here sometimes left to speak with the emperor.”

* “Why was there a rope by the window? And why do you have a packed bag?” Ignis continued before you answered, “I was trying to escape. I believe the man who lives here is a liar because I think he isn’t my father, but I wanna know for sure. I thought if I left while he was away on business, I could get a head start before he noticed my absence.” Putting away his blades as he deemed you weren’t a threat and that you were startled by strangers discovering your tower only to break in, Ignis introduced himself and apologized for his inclination to attack on sight without many questions as you accepted his apology whole-heartily, remarking that if he and his friends needed supplies, you could provide them since you had plenty to spare. With green eyes sparkling like peridot after he released you from his grip, the first thing Ignis noticed about you once he had a good look at you was the length of your hair, which he never quite saw often unless he gazed upon painted portraits of heroines and damsels from various literature and alternative media. However, you were a real-life Rapunzel with blonde locks as long as the tower’s height (which Verstael often used as a ladder in order to reach you so others wouldn’t know you existed) and despite the length, your hair never seemed to weigh you down as it appeared to be very healthy due to its shine and softness.

* Introducing yourself to Ignis’s companions once they noticed you coming into the moonbeams that originated from the window, you offered them some supplies for their journey. Upon learning more about you, Noctis and the others wanted you to travel with them since they felt sorry for you, knowing you never left your tower per your ‘father’s’ daily verbal abuse and fear-mongering of a dangerous world. But they also believed your account of Verstael not being your father, as when you revealed his name, they knew he was childless since he was married only to his scientific work.

* Therefore, they allowed you permission to travel with them and even encouraged you to leave. However, knowing you’d be outed and captured again if people noticed your long hair, Ignis offered to put it up for you so you could easily hide it under hooded clothing as he sat you down in front of your bedroom mirror. Taking his time with each braid, Ignis tamed your mane as you thanked him for his help before you climbed out of the tower with the men and accompanied them to their car.

* After several adventures through Eos with imperial guards and daemons at your back, you and your companions eventually ended up in one town where imperial reign was heavy, as a military base with road blocks hindered your path. Therefore, you all had to take a different route as Ignis turned the car around. However, the imperial soldiers had noticed the car shortly after Ignis made the turn as they chased after you, eventually causing the five of you to jump out of the car to instead stand and fight if you hoped to escape alive. During the fight, you five fell down a hole underground after Noctis had summoned Titan to his aid. With rocky debris falling around you as dust filled your lungs, you wondered how you would make it out of the cave-in without the walls and ceilings collapsing on top of you. However, just when it seemed like all hope was lost, you had an idea as you started to sing a special song, dismantling each braid in your hair as it flowed freely around your shoulders before it started to glow gold when you brushed your fingers through it rapidly. Gasping loudly at what they just saw, the boys watched as you used your hair as a torch to guide everyone to the way out and back to the surface, eventually managing to locate the car again before you all drove to a nearby campsite in the woods.

* Once at camp while cooking supper alongside Ignis, you noticed he seemed off the moment he continued to clutch his ribs, wincing between his teeth as his eyes slammed shut before you asked if he was alright. Quipping a witty phrase of ‘nothing could ever get him down,’ you awaited permission to see for yourself and with your wide eyes beckoning for him to let you see as your hand inched closer to his shirt. Eventually becoming lost in your eyes, Ignis relented as he pulled his gloved hand away from his shirt. Moving his shirt up to see a bleeding cut, you watched Ignis as he was about to pull a potion from his coat pocket until you steadied his hands to return them to his sides. Brushing your hands through your hair as if to conjure up some type of warmth or extreme grooming again, you let go of your locks after a few minutes. Placing your warm hands against Ignis’s rib cage, he winced again as he stifled a yelp, eventually gasping in surprise with wide eyes as when you began to sing, something he had only ever seen in films happened in front of his eyes. With every lyric pouring from your lips, the melodies of the song appealed to your hair as each strand turned gold again, shimmering like metal that was all ablaze by flame, before the glow focused its attention on Ignis’s wound. Warmth like a Phoenix Down enveloped Ignis as his wound stitched itself up and the blood ceased to fall, causing him and his companions to stare at you in awe. Giving a small grin to Ignis, you lowered his shirt as you acted like nothing had just happened before you finished helping him prepare supper.

* But Ignis and his companions couldn’t forget what they had just seen. You seemed to be a normal woman, but you obviously weren’t because you just healed someone’s wounds by singing to them and touching their wounds after brushing your hands through your hair, which only glowed when you sang a certain song. It was as if you were a conduit for healing magic, so it made sense as to why Verstael wanted you in the empire. If you could do that for a simple battle cut, Ignis and the others could only imagine what you could do for a more severe malaise or injury. At once, so many questions came your way over supper and for every inquiry came an honest answer from you. According to you, you were born with this gift and this was why Verstael claimed people wanted your power for themselves. However, there was a catch: If your hair was ever cut, it darkened to Noctis’s black hue and was rendered useless, as evidenced by a large lock that framed your face (which was actually the first feature Ignis noted about you even though you were predominantly a blonde), so keeping your hair long was a necessity in order to make sure you still maintained your power. After supper and the interrogation, Ignis and the others allowed you to go to sleep since there was a long while before Altissia and you needed rest, especially after using your magic more than once in 24 hours. After bidding each man goodnight with a kiss to their cheek, saving Ignis for last, you retired alone to the tent you shared with Gladio and Ignis. Savoring the warmth of your kiss by taking his glove off to feel it against his bare palm, Ignis smiled with closed eyes before Noct elbowed the man’s shoulder, teasing the British-accented male’s attraction towards you before the brunette pushed his prince away and chastised him for attempting to stay up late, which eventually prompted everyone to turn in for the night. But one thing was certain and couldn’t be denied: Over the several weeks you spent traveling with Prince Noctis and his royal retinue, Ignis had grown to love you and he couldn’t imagine life without you. But even if he seemed selfish in wanting you to stay with them, Ignis wouldn’t deny you assistance in finding your real family, provided they were still out there.

* Arriving in Altissia, you were enjoying your time with everyone in the city while simultaneously avoiding imperial soldiers, as the city was independent but being controlled politically by Niflheim. Glancing upon Lunafreya as she appealed to the people to quell their fears in her podium speech, you noticed she resembled someone from your past as you imagined her wearing a crown of crystals while you imagined a pre-teen girl in white garb surrounded by fur and a teenage boy in white princely clothing. However, you couldn’t confirm nor deny your theories as she quickly departed from the crowd back to her place inside the gargantuan building under ‘protection’ from imperial guards. Ignis was the first to notice a change in you as he inquired about your wellbeing when he saw you staring at Lady Lunafreya, but you were quick to smile and dismiss the pondering as you followed him and the others to the multitudes of gondolas, where you rode peacefully alone with the prince’s retainer. In a separate boat, Noctis and the others spied on you and Ignis from afar to see if you two would confess your feelings or not, especially since it was quite obvious you two shared feelings for each other. But the whole time everyone was sailing in the gondolas, there were people releasing sylleblossoms into the water and upon the wind in remembrance of the ‘lost princess of Tenebrae’ so she might find her way back to where the petals’ genesis originated from, a tradition long practiced by the Tenebrae royal family since the young woman’s disappearance if Noctis remembered the tales of the middle child correctly. As Noctis looked upon the portable photos of the lost princess that were carried by those in other gondolas, he and even his friends noted a stark resemblance between the pictures of the girl and you now. At once, his speculations of your identity made sense, as you never believed Verstael was your father and your current age made sense chronologically-speaking if your stories of your past and the stories of the lost princess were taken into account. Therefore, Noctis decided to inquire more about the lost princess of Tenebrae as he, Gladio, and Prompto gave you and Ignis privacy, electing to speak with passersby in other boats to connect more dotted clues to see if their theories could be proven correct.

* Speaking with the brunette about many topics you daren’t say unless you were alone in his company, Ignis opened up for you as well for the first time in all his years of being the rock for everyone else, telling you things he would never say in normal circumstances. But you and Ignis both acted as a comforting presence to each other, and it was as if you were talking to an old friend from a point left off in the past, so there was no awkwardness or pauses in your conversations. In fact, they were rather enlightening and engaging, rich with knowledge even. Clutching your hands inside the boat with his gloved ones, you and Ignis watched the stars as you floated along in the watery city, eventually stopping at a flower shop after leaving the boat before the brunette scrounged up some gil to purchase some sylleblossoms for you, as he remembered you telling him about the petals of those that floated past your window. Thanking Ignis with a kiss to his cheek, the brunette couldn’t help but hug you back as his coat smelled of Ebony and his cologne was musky but pleasant with a hint of cooking spices embedded in it. After separating from your hug, Ignis offered to redo your braids as he interlaced the sylleblossoms in them before you both continued to saunter through the city. In the meanwhile, Noctis had to leave his friends while they explored the rest of the city so he could negotiate with Altissia’s leader. It was only afterwards that you and the others were informed of Noctis’s plan to protect civilians and hold the empire back before retiring to bed, which led you to fall asleep in Ignis’s arms as you were used to being near him since you slept in his and Gladio’s tent. And like a perfect gentleman, he was quick to accept you into his embrace as he spooned you from behind, lacing his fingers in yours as he buried his nose in your hair, which smelled just like the sylleblossoms even when your braids were dismantled.

* But the imperial soldiers came to destroy the city the next day, searching for Noctis while also attempting dominion over Leviathan. Assisting Ignis and Ravus in fighting off soldiers to protect Noctis and Lunafreya, you eventually succeeded before you and Ignis were separated from each other in the struggle. After being caught by imperial soldiers, they swiftly knocked you unconscious and returned you to a new tower in Niflheim as a prisoner to be chained and gagged, where everything clicked for you after recognizing Ravus upon meeting him at a close distance. At once, you realized Lunafreya and Ravus were your siblings and Queen Sylva was your mother, making you the lost princess of Tenebrae. You also realized that they had sent the sylleblossoms on the wind and water in the hopes that you would recognize the flower and return home, which you had by choosing to travel with Ignis and his friends. Upon registering the extent of this revelation, you confronted Verstael, who visited your tower and confirmed everything with venom in his tone and a smirk on his masculine, crone-like visage. However, he was confident that you wouldn’t be able to escape from your chains, as you were secured tightly in the tower and he was informed that Ignis had been captured and was on his way to Zegnautus Keep to be executed after providing the empire with bait to lead the prince into a trap. Once your captor was gone, you desperately tried to escape your bonds as you pulled at the handcuffs that were chained to the wall and shook your head to free the cloth from your mouth so if you needed to speak to inform Ignis or any of your other friends that you were locked inside the room, you would be able to. You needed to get to Ignis before Verstael did, so if it meant hurting your body to do so, you would hurt yourself a thousand times over in order to escape and save Ignis and the rest of your loved ones.

* In the meanwhile, Ignis was captured alongside everyone else, who were all unconscious from the battle. But he managed to find the Ring of the Lucii in Noctis’s hand as he secretly took it for himself, believing it might be a good bargaining chip to use to get you back, as only members of the Lucian royal family could use its full power without many repercussions while others who attempted to use it had to pay a price. With a hunch that you had most likely been captured and taken back to Niflheim, the brunette was willing to make a deal with the enemy so long as the others could stay alive and go free. Granting his request, the soldiers chained up Ignis and took him back to Zegnautus Keep. With help from another male prisoner who wanted to assist but who knew he couldn’t escape without Ignis, the stranger knocked out the guards by thrusting his body into them to collide them into the rocky walls. In the meanwhile, Ignis maneuvered his bonds to the front of his body before he wrapped one around a soldier’s neck, choking the man as the Nif collapsed like a sack of potatoes. At the same time, the stranger managed to maneuver his own bonds around to the front of his body before he choked the second soldier in the same manner Ignis had done. Once he was sure his enemies were not going to revive themselves, Ignis managed to find a key from a soldier’s back pocket to jiggle the lock free before he handed the key to the stranger, rubbing his wrists while the strange man rubbed his own wrists before reaching into his jacket pocket. Unfolding a bent fedora by shaking it out before setting it atop his wine-colored hair, the man’s peridot irises gleamed before he held out a hand to shake Ignis’s when the brunette asked for his identity, “Oh, I didn’t give a proper introduction, did I? I’m Ardyn Izunia; just Ardyn will suffice…I can’t thank you enough for helping me escape; I’ve been wanting to escape Niflheim for ages after they captured me for human experiments but I couldn’t have done so without your help.” Surveying the area to ensure no backup was coming, Ardyn turned back to Ignis before he smirked, “So, you’re planning on rescuing the girl with the magic hair, right? If you want, I can help, as I too am gifted in elemancy.”

* “How do you know about her?! Speak, or I’ll end you right now!” Ignis snapped as he wedged a knife towards Ardyn’s neck while throwing him against a wall back-first, his teeth gritted as his eyes were ablaze with rage. However, Ardyn’s carefree attitude calmed Ignis as he gripped the edge of the blade and pushed it away with the tip of his index finger before he grinned warmly, “Because I know of the lost princess of Tenebrae and I know Verstael is not her father, and I believe she’s the lost princess…If you let me help you, I can ensure you reunite with her and help her find her family.” However, Ignis was still hesitant as he continued, pressing the knife closer again with eyes never leaving Ardyn’s line of sight, “How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you won’t betray us to save yourself?” Again, Ardyn was honest with his hands over his head to surrender to the brunette as he shrugged before holding an outstretched palm out for Ignis to take, ”On my honor and strike me dead if I lie, Lord, I swear to uphold my end of the bargain…But we don’t have much time since the other soldiers will notice their men are missing. So either take it or leave it: Join a man of no consequence and succeed or risk your chances saving her and fail. Your choice.” After a frustrated sigh as he lowered his knife, Ignis realized he would have a better chance of saving you if Ardyn helped him. So, giving into his request as he introduced himself once the man asked, the two began to work together as Ardyn used his powers to track you through sensing your magic while Ignis used the power of the ring of the Lucii to assist in his endeavor, as he knew that higher-powered enemies required more assistance from the ancient kings. Being deemed worthy of wielding the ring, Ignis was granted its power albeit at the cost of partially losing his eyesight. Locating your tower after a few moments of surveying the area, Ardyn sent Ignis on ahead as he held off the soldiers, causing the British male to thank the stranger kindly from afar before he climbed your tower, using his knives to help him up while his eyesight was beginning to fail him. But as he climbed, he still held onto hope that he could at least see you one last time before he lost his eyesight completely and only had memories of your appearance in his head.

* Once he was inside your tower, Ignis called out for you as he heard your strangled pleas, which screamed out for him as you informed him that you were locked in your new bedroom albeit in chains. Kicking down the door to access your room, Ignis knelt to your side as he urged you to hold still, using his knife as a lock pick to undo your chains. Once you were free, Ignis didn’t hesitate in embracing you tightly as you reciprocated in tears before he gasped, thankful he got to see you again with what little eyesight he had left, “(Name), thank God you’re alive! I never thought I’d see you again.”

* “Neither did I…Oh, Iggy, I was right. Verstael wasn’t my father and he stole me from my family for my powers…Iggy, what…What happened to you? Where did all these marks come from?” You tried to speak as hyperventilating breathes stole your air while your shoulders trembled tearfully when you noticed the magical burn marks and the scars on his face. Cupping Ignis’s face in your hands with tears at his current condition, Ignis steadied you with his ungloved hands gripping your face before he nodded with a promise on his lips, “I know. An ally of mine who helped me find you told me everything. But I promise, everything will be alright. I’ll get you home and I’ll never let them take you again.” Leaping to his feet as he pulled you onto yours, Ignis helped you climb down the tower as he cradled you in his arms before he reunited with Ardyn, who successfully incapacitated the enemies as he urged you to follow him to the exit.

* However, Verstael was quick to block your path as he appeared in the doorway, taunting you with his maniacal cackles, piercing irises, and villainous smirk. Though he scared you before, he didn’t scare you now as you stood your ground, vowing to never again let him use your powers for Niflheim’s goals and never again be his prisoner. With that, Verstael went on the attack as he charged for you, leading Ignis to jump in front of you as he called upon the ring’s power a second time, leading to more scars and burns as the brunette screamed right before Ardyn pleaded for Ignis to take off the jewelry if he wanted to live, as he knew the ring would eventually require a blood price if Ignis continued to be reckless. However, Ignis turned to you and Ardyn, claiming that if his sacrifice would protect you from your captor, he would gladly give his life for you. With tears in your eyes at his promise, you witnessed Ignis valiantly fighting for you like a knight in shining armor as his magic struck at Verstael in short bursts of him running at the speed of light before the scientist managed to out-maneuver Ignis, knocking him to the floor as the brunette struggled to get back up.

* Wanting to stop the fight to prevent Ignis’s death at Verstael or the ring’s hands, you pleaded with the scientist to let Ignis leave alive as you promised to never escape again but only if you were allowed to heal Ignis of his current wounds. Satisfied with his complete control over you, Verstael gave into your request as he left Ignis alone. Rushing to the brunette, you immediately brushed your hands through your hair as you attempted to grip his body for the last time in your hands. But Ignis kept shoving your hands away as he begged you to let him die so you could go free, even if you pleaded with him to let you save him since you couldn’t live your life knowing he died when you could’ve saved him. Threading his hands through your hair, Ignis leaned in to kiss you as your eyes closed and you leaned in too. But as Ignis gripped your hair in his hands and used the last of his strength to sit up, he used his knife to chop the locks as they ripped away from your neck and head only to fall in heaps around you on the floor. Dropping the knife with a metallic clatter, Ignis’s expression softened with glassy eyes before you gasped at what he had done. With your hair fading from blonde to black before everyone’s eyes, Verstael quickly recognized that your power was fading as he screeched when he charged you, slapping you in the face as you crumpled in the fetal position on the ground before the scientist demanded you bring back your powers, nearly throttling you to death with his constant shoulder shakes as you desperately tried to push him off you. However, Ardyn was quick to end Verstael’s assault on you as he sprinted over to you and shoved the man off. Subduing the man by getting him in a choke hold, Ardyn pleaded with Ignis to end this as he couldn’t hold the old man back for long before the brunette drained the ring’s power one last time. With his strength waning after ending the scientist before he could end you, Ignis collapsed in the fetal position on the ground before you quickly drew him into your arms, begging him to live while you cradled him against your bosom. At the same time, Ignis’s friends rejoined you with help from Ravus in order to get to the empire. However, nothing was working on your end as Ignis’s breath hitched in his throat, leading him to confess his feelings for you before you leaned your face down to his, your shoulders shaking as your throat closed up when the lyrics from your healing song poured from your lips. If Ignis died now, all your hopes and dreams with him would die with him, so you had to believe that even a little bit of your magic would be enough to save him from Death. The whole scene was enough to make everyone fear the worst as they grieved for their friend, especially after seeing him express his love for you only to die seconds later with his hand upon your face until it collided with the floor upon his last breath. Sobbing for his revival as your tears splashed on his cheeks and in his soft hair (which became messy during his many battles in your defense), you were surprised to see your golden glow envelop his body and his wounds as Ardyn pulled you away, fearing that something was amiss until he realized the magic was your own, coming from inside your heart even though your magical hair was gone. Once the glow faded away, Ignis was quick to breathe the air as his eyes blinked rapidly while you gasped, smiling at the fact that he was alive before you drew each other into a tearful embrace.

* With you and Ignis reunited and his eyesight restored fully thanks to the last of your powers, he announced your presence as the lost princess of Tenebrae when Ravus and Lunafreya asked for a proper introduction. At once, they gasped out your name before they fell to their knees, reaching for your hands as they hoped it was really you, their middle sister. Recognizing the resemblance with wide eyes as you cried in perfect sync with them, the siblings drew you into their arms on the ground as they never wanted to let you go again. Sobbing into each other’s shoulders, you finally found your family as Ignis and the others smiled on in the distance before Ravus looked to the green-eyed male, thanking him silently with just a look before your lover nodded back.

* Days after leaving Niflheim with your friends and family, you returned to the royal manor in Tenebrae as you met up with your mother, running into her arms for a gargantuan hug as she cried tears of joy before turning to your friends to thank them for their help in returning you home safely. But her largest show of thanks went to Ignis as she drew him into a hug and blessed your relationship. At the same time, you and Ignis vowed to share more adventures together before settling down while the man especially promised to be by your side since Noctis claimed his retainer would serve you better as a husband than as his big brother figure. Agreeing with his friend, Ignis accepted the proposition of being your husband as you accepted being his wife. Living happily in Tenebrae after the war with many visits to Lucis to see Noctis and your shared social circle, Ignis was the most supportive husband. Many tales recounted pleasant memories of the prince and princess cooking in the kitchen when the staff was asleep and when royal duties didn’t grace your schedule. Retaining one scar from his injuries when saving you with the ring, Ignis never forgot what your magic had done and though your powers were only internal through your tears (as evidenced by your black hair that would still grow normally but would never again conjure up healing magic with your special song), you were still regarded as a benevolent healer princess and daughter of an Oracle. Spending long days with your little sister and elder brother when you weren’t busy, you made up for lost time in Ignis’s absences with tea and cakes as well as lively stories of your adventures when you traveled with the Lucian party. Overall, your life was happy after Ignis entered it, and it continued to be even more joyful after he became your husband.


	10. Cor Leonis x Fem! Hunter! Reader - Mulan AU Headcanons

* For as long as you could remember when you were a little girl, Lucis and Niflheim had been at war. Led by Emperor Aldercapt, the ruthlessness of the imperial army was felt first-hand by many people such as those in Galahd who were displaced and forced to relocate to Lucis as refugees turned soldiers if they showed capabilities in magic.

* Seeing many capable soldiers fighting for their country and hunters protecting civilians from daemons, you wished to be just like them. However, one thing you noticed right away was the multitudes of men who joined in comparison to women. For this reason alone, you believed you needed to masquerade as a man in order to be allowed to stay and fight in the military. Cutting your hair, binding your breasts under heavy clothes, and hiding your face behind a mask, you managed to successfully be recruited as a Lucian citizen who wanted to serve others, deciding to assist the Crownsguard as a daemon hunter, one of the most dangerous occupations for any soldier to take on. Introducing yourself as (Alias) with a voice you deepened in conversations with others, no one could tell the difference between your feminine reality and your masculine disguise.

* Upon entering camp, you made friends with several of the Kingsglaive and Crownsguard, four to be exact named Libertus, Nyx, Crowe, and Monica. But the one man you looked up to the most was Marshall Cor Leonis, the captain of your unit. He was the strongest warrior you had ever encountered in your whole life, best known by his moniker of “The Immortal.” In actuality, you wanted to be just like him, but you had a long way to go if you wanted to possess his skill set since he was said to be a prodigy on the battlefield and at a tactician’s table. Stern as he was with icy blues staring daggers at his soldiers whenever he instructed them on how to fight or during the heat of battle, Cor actually did have a heart, as he was the first to always prevent as much bloodshed as he was able to with his plans and he was always the first soldier to visit the injured in their tents. Revered as a legend among military across all of Eos, Cor was admired by most except by those in the empire and the daemons he hunted.

* The more time you spent with the Crownsguard hunters and the Kingsglaive, the closer you became with your friends. But the person you became the closest with was Cor, especially after you surprised him during a mock duel by knocking him off his feet and onto his back with a technique he taught all his soldiers during day one of their training as privates. Had the soldiers paid more attention to the lesson rather than mocking their superior’s stern nature, they would’ve realized this technique was a life saver since it worked against many types of assailants, no matter the gender or body build of the person who was pinned on the ground. The more you spoke with Cor during restless nights under the stars, the more things he revealed to you in confidence that he wouldn’t otherwise speak of in the company of his soldiers. Even you found yourself revealing things to Cor that you wouldn’t normally say, such as your personal fears of finding true love or never being good enough to serve Lucis. However, Cor was quick to reassure you that out of all his soldiers, you reminded him of himself when he was a golden-hearted yet arrogant firecracker trying to prove himself since he was a commoner who got a lucky break of being King Regis’s right-hand man (who was a prince then) after remarking about how much of an idiot the royal was. But unlike his former self until a life-changing experience knocked him down to size, you were anything but overconfident to the point of arrogance, as you were continuously humbled by your superiors’ techniques and took the time to master each one even if you didn’t understand right away. And surprisingly, Cor was comfortable expressing his views on true love as he remarked with a smile towards you, “Well, I don’t really think much on things such as true love…But if I had to answer, I guess I wouldn’t mind settling down with a nice gal. Maybe a little house outside the city, a kid or two, maybe a dog…” It was in that moment that you saw past the mask of the warrior and saw the true man; it was also in this moment that you and Cor cultivated an acquaintance to become the best of friends, in spite of the fact that he was ten years your senior and you were falling in love with him.

* But your secret was slowly starting to peel back the layers to reveal itself, no matter how hard you tried to hide it, especially on one day that your female friends caught you changing your uniform. You were just buttoning up your shirt after a quick bath in the lake by your lonesome near the camp when you heard Monica and Crowe entering the tent, their loud voices echoing off the mesh as they were convincing you to come with them to assist in a hunt for the camp’s dinner. Startled by their outbursts, you turned towards the entrance of the tent as you squeaked and attempted to cover your chest with your binding and your hands iron-gripping your shirt. However, it was too late as Crowe and Monica had already seen the flash of skin, causing them to stutter at the sight before you rushed to zip up the tent, hissing for them to keep their voices down when the volume started to rise beyond what was necessary for a normal conversation. After finishing your binding and buttoning up your shirt, you asked Monica and Crowe to sit down as they nodded slowly, no words needing to be said as they complied without question. As awkward silence filled the tent while you stared at the women and they stared at you, Monica eventually began to inquire about you as she asked like a big sister trying to help their kin, “Why hide your identity? You know the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive accept women soldiers now since the circumstances are so dire.”

* “I didn’t want anyone to judge my service to Lucis any differently because of who I was; I just wanted to prove my merit.” You explained before Crowe’s eyes glazed over with concern as you pleaded, fearful they would out you in front of the other soldiers, “Please, I just want to serve Lucis. You have to promise me you won’t say anything.”

* “We promise. But if it’s found out that you lied, you may be asked to leave the military or worse if it gets back to Cor, and you know how by-the-book he can be.” Crowe warned as you promised to be more careful with hiding your secret.

* Over the next few weeks, you journeyed with Cor and the rest of the soldiers until you encountered Niflheim-occupied territory come nightfall. Once scouts confirmed that there were daemons in the area, Cor led the attack as you all took to offensive measures upon witnessing an attack on defenseless civilians by the daemons. Noting the environment surrounding you, you decided to use it to your advantage as you asked Monica and Crowe to assist you, especially since Crowe could teleport. Igniting the forest with vials of fire magic before teleporting away, you managed to surround the majority of the daemons by walls of flame as trees collapsed on top of those caught in the blockade, thereby reducing their numbers greatly to provide the Lucian Crownsguard hunters with a fighting chance since they were severely outnumbered before your intervention.

* However, this only made the remaining daemons livid as one of them gunned for Cor, whose back was turned as he was fending off another daemon. Reacting quickly, you pushed the brunette out of the way as you took the blow. Crumpling to the ground after being struck from behind by a daemon’s horn, Cor immediately rushed to your side to incapacitate the daemon before he dragged your limp body away as the blaze spread through the forest, licking your heels as he ran. Ducking and covering to avoid the flames, Cor blanketed your body with his while the remaining daemons fled the blaze and the Lucians dove against a rocky wall near a mountain to brace themselves. Once the dust had cleared and the blaze had been magically put out by remaining members of the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive, Cor looked you over for wounds as he gasped upon seeing crimson soak your shirt. Peeling your sticky fingers away from the wound, Cor urged you to live as he pulled out medical supplies from his uniform before your vision blackened and you felt your head swim as it collapsed against Cor’s shoulder.

* When you awoke again, you were in a medical bed with bandages around your entire chest. Fearing the worst, you started to scramble around to leave the bed until a large palm gripped your wrist. With steel blue eyes gazing at you, you felt completely naked under the gaze as Cor released his hand from your arm. His lips set into a frown, the man seemed dissatisfied to learn you had lied as your eyes never left their focus on the floor, too afraid to face Cor in person. However, his disappointment dissipated on his face as he curled an index finger under your chin, forcing you to look at him as he asked, “Care to explain why you didn’t inform us that you were a girl when you were recruited?” When you didn’t answer, Cor sighed through his nose with his fingers pinching his sinuses as he shook his head, “You do realize the ramifications of this betrayal, right?” Nodding solemnly as you were forced to look at Cor, your eyes closed to collect your thoughts before the man commanded you to look at him. Following his orders, you stared into Cor’s eyes as he stared back at you before you explained, “I wanted to prove myself and I didn’t want people to judge me before seeing what I was capable of. I wanted to prove to myself that I could serve my country in spite of who I was.” Fluttering his eyes shut with a frustrated sigh, Cor paused for a long time as your anxiety rose in your throat while you never cut off eye contact with him. Closing your throat off from any air in anticipation for him to speak again (if he even wanted to speak to you again after what you had done), the man opened his eyes with a warm smile. Gripping your hand in his, he gave it a gentle squeeze as he remarked, “Then show them who you really are. Don’t be (Alias). Be the hunter of the Lucian Crownsguard that I know you are and be the best one that I know you can be. Rather than hiding and fearing you’re not good enough, prove people wrong by your skill.”

* Realizing the man was right, you were pleased to see that he was still the encouraging, comforting presence you had always encountered in your meetings alone before you asked, “So, I can stay? You’re not mad and you won’t kick me out of the military? Since I hid the truth, I would’ve assumed-“

* “Rule number one of the real world: Never assume anything…As long as you don’t ever lie to my face again, I won’t dismiss you from my service. After all, you saved my life by taking a risk with the fire and taking a hit for me. Who else would I trust with all my secrets if you weren’t around to hear them?” Cor grinned with a soft smile, something that was rare considering who he was (after the rumored Trial of Gilgamesh that he was the lone survivor of), before he asked, “So, be honest with me. Who are you really?” With a soft grin as you laced your fingers with Cor’s, you decided to indulge him by finally revealing who you were while he awaited your answer with eyes that sparkled like the vast waters of the sea instead of like ice, “(Name) (Surname) of Lucis…I’m honored to finally meet you.” And with yet another soft grin, Cor addressed you by the new name with his tone as gentle as a sleeping lion before he leaned close to your face. With a silent question of permission to continue, you were surprised to see the ferocity of the Immortal once you nodded silently and cupped his face in your hand to give that permission as he kissed your lips, causing you to gasp against his mouth. Eventually, you relaxed into the kiss as Cor pressed your bandaged chest against his clothed one, resulting in him snaking his arms around your waist while you wrapped your arms around his neck so your fingers could thread through his short brown locks. Breaking apart when oxygen was deprived from your lungs, you and Cor took deep breathes, staring at each other while doing so, before the man beckoned you to lay back as he suggested you get some rest and get better soon. Promising you would, you curled into the sheets and closed your eyes as Cor leaned down to kiss your temple, smiling at you one last time before leaving you alone in your medical tent.

* Once you were back to normal, you decided to reveal who you really were to the camp, electing to not lie to them anymore so you could be judged by your merit. Some were surprised and couldn’t believe their eyes that you were secretly a girl; others always had a hunch and were proven correct by your revelation as they received gil from those who bet against the possibility of you secretly being a girl. But because you had proven your worth even while using an alias, nobody wanted you to leave even when a select few did, believing traitors didn’t deserve to live or serve Lucis. However, Cor and your friends were quick to come to your defense and shut down the nay-sayers, making them quickly quiet down.

* On one such escort mission on behalf of King Regis, you and Cor assisted in protection duty of a Lucian ally, some duchess or baroness from a neighboring kingdom or other. However, daemons quickly attacked you on the road as they snatched up the woman during the scuffle and fled to the forest, the feminine screams echoing in the distance as Cor and his soldiers followed the sounds and the daemons to a den. Witnessing the monster’s tail smash the rocks to conjure up a cave-in to bar the entrance, Cor and the rest of the hunters desperately pried the rocks away to no avail since the stones were too heavy, even for as many as thirty to forty soldiers, mostly male and a scarce few with magic. However, fearing for the life of the female diplomat since the excavation was taking too long, you noticed a small entrance at the peak of the mountain crag, which was small enough for at least one person at a time to fit through. Whistling for everyone to heed your commands, Cor and the soldiers ceased the rescue mission as your friends mainly took orders from you. Others looked to Cor for guidance only to receive a stern glare followed by a “do what she says” if anyone argued with you and claimed that you were stupid to suggest such a plan. Choosing Libertus, Crowe, Nyx, and Monica to join you, Cor chose to tag along of his own volition as you all warped to the top of the peak with help from the Kingsglaive. Once you were at the top, tying a rope to each person on each descent with everyone taking a turn one at a time, you scaled down the narrow tunnel until each person reached the bottom floor. Once everyone was accounted for, you all lit torches to guide you as you snuck inside the den, surveying the area for daemons and any signs of the female diplomat.

* Once you were inside the heart of the den, you noticed a familiar sound as you shushed your group and urged them to follow you. Tip-toeing to your location, Cor caught sight of the duchess as she was sobbing silently aside from a few sniffles, daemons patrolling the area to make sure she didn’t escape as they awaited any sign of intrusions aside from the obvious ones of several soldiers still excavating the entrance. Shimmying down from the edge of the slit in the wall to get closer, you formulated a plan with the others before Cor tip-toed close to the duchess. In the meanwhile, you and your friends acted as the distraction as the daemons made a beeline towards you, charging like an army. With magic and expert swordsmanship, you and the others fended off the assailants while Cor went to work freeing the duchess, using his katana to cut the makeshift binding that the daemons had used on her. However, a Naga managed to notice him as the daemon slithered towards him, her serpentine tongue flicking out of her mouth as she hissed and reared her head up for an attack. Shoving the duchess out of the way, Cor perfectly evaded the assault as he ran up the Naga’s body to strike her neck. However, the snake got the best of him as she swung him into a wall, causing his sword to drop from his grasp to stick into the dirt. With your friends assisting the duchess back to the surface, you were urged to come with them. However, seeing Cor incapacitated, you refused to leave him behind as you grabbed his katana. Inciting the Naga’s rage with an insult screamed into the caverns as the sword rang once you scraped it against a stone to sharpen it, the snake charged towards you as Cor’s eyes fluttered awake. With his vision slowly returning, he gazed upon you as he gasped internally, worried for your safety even though you were holding your own against the Naga using every technique he and other superiors had ever taught you. Proud of your swordsmanship, Cor rose to his feet as he brushed himself off before he urged you to throw him one of your swords so he could assist. However, you managed to get your sword free from your scabbard as you tossed Cor’s back to him. Standing side by side to face the Naga, metal rang out as slashes swiping the air and serpentine hisses echoed in the chamber. With a final team attack, you and Cor ended the Naga as she screamed into the ceiling with her head craned upwards before she collapsed into a coil. Dissipating in a purple mist, you and Cor caught your breath as awe struck the man’s features before he provided you with a subtle grin and a thumbs up as he congratulated you on becoming the strongest female warrior he had ever met. After thanking Cor for his compliments with a humbled grace about you, you gave your own smile to the brunette before you two exited the cave using the secret entrance you found.

* In the company of King Regis after escorting the duchess to Lucis, you, Cor, and your friends were congratulated on the victory of the battle during the mission. More importantly, Regis promoted you and Cor, providing you both with a medal of honor, while the duchess provided you two with her gratitude through the granting of the utmost welcome to her home should you ever come across it in your travels. And as you accepted the gifts humbly with a tender hug to both royals, who gladly welcomed the affection, Cor gave the royals a simple bow. In the meanwhile, your friends couldn’t help but smile as they clapped from afar before drawing you into a hug afterwards.

* When all was said and done, you and Cor continued to be soldiers of the Crownsguard and daemon hunters, dedicated to serving the Lucian royal family until the end of your days. But even more joy came your way as Cor proposed courtship upon you so he could be your boyfriend since he had fallen in love with you too and only realized it after you nearly died in order to save his life, but only after he properly met your family first. Immediately you accepted and your family ended up loving the man, and with permission to properly be introduced into Cor’s social circle, he allowed you to meet Regis and his friends as they grew attached to you too. After a few years of dating, Cor eventually proposed you be his wife as you confirmed his request with a “yes.” Wed under a sakura tree in a tiny ceremony with only close friends and family, you and Cor rode off into the sunset on his motorcycle before he carried you over the threshold of your new home, a small home at the edge of Lucis. Promising to get a dog with your help in choosing the breed and name, you kissed Cor happily as you promised those couple kids he asked for before he smirked and kissed you back. Since meeting Cor, your life was filled to the brim with adventures galore and as you embarked on this new chapter of life, you both were excited for even more adventures, this time as husband and wife.


	11. Gladiolus Amiticia x Fem! Reader - Hercules AU

* Hailing from the famous Amiticia clan, Gladiolus was the strongest son, elder brother of Iris Amiticia, and the firstborn of Clarus Amiticia. But not everyone shared the same sentiment of Lucis being a great kingdom or the Amiticia‘s being a prominent warrior family, and one of those men was General Caligo, an imperial tactician who assisted Niflheim in attempting to overtake Lucis.

* Deciding to take away Lucis’s best warrior before he could grow into adulthood and derail the empire’s plans, Caligo dispatched soldiers to kill Gladio before meeting the Lucian on the battlefield when he was but a boy. Upon linking swords, the younger male’s high spirits were taken as he believed himself not fit to take up the mantle as Shield of the King, especially when Caligo snapped the broad sword in half. But even with his confidence gone, Gladiolus’s physical strength surpassed that of ordinary men as he single-handily incapacitated each and every soldier sent to kill him.

* After being found and nursed back to health by Jared, the current patriarch of the Hester family that acted ally to the Amiticia family, Gladio was raised as one of the Hester’s own sons, adopted into a loving home since Gladio did not want to return to his father out of shame of being defeated in battle. For several years after the battle that changed Gladio’s views on being able to protect his friend, the prince, he eventually grew to be the strongest warrior in Lucis as he protected the civilians from invaders and thieves. But for a while, he knew he was different from others in physical strength and resemblance to the Hesters. After being informed of his parentage by Jared, Gladio traveled with his adoptive father’s grandson to return to his real father, who welcomed him back with open arms in spite of the failure in battle. However, while Gladio was sad to learn the full extent of his powers were taken by Caligo, he was overjoyed that his spell could be overturned if he proved himself to be a true hero in the eyes of Gilgamesh, a legendary Lucian swordsman who was famous for his trials. Allowing Iris to accompany Gladio and Talcott as a guide, Clarus urged his son to find Cor Leonis, a Crownsguard who survived the trials of Gilgamesh by his lonesome at fifteen, something that most others couldn’t as they perished in the face of the warrior’s spirit. If anyone could enhance Gladio’s potential, it was Cor. Therefore, setting out with his sister and adoptive brother, Gladio embarked on a quest to find Cor.

* Meeting the Immortal for himself, Gladio was surprised to see that the man was different from how he was described by his father. While he was a wise-cracking firecracker in his youth, he was a humbled stoic now. Nevertheless, Gladio appealed to the man’s sense of duty and explained he was in need of strength to be a true hero in order to protect Lucis and its royalty, as Cor was well-known for training some of Lucis’s best warriors. However, after years of disappointment and seeing his warriors throw away every ideal he ever taught them when the chips were down, Cor became bitter because he was a soldier of honor. After much argument over if Gladio had the guts to partake in this rigorous training and uphold Cor’s ideals, the brunette eventually relented when Gladio revealed one of many tattoos on his arm, signifying that he was a member of the Amiticia household since only the men in the family possessed that marking on their bicep. Knowing the Amiticia’s were a renowned Lucian military family who was as honorable as they were strong, Cor agreed to train the young man.

* For several more years, Cor trained Gladio harder than any warrior that had ever come to him for guidance. Pushing him to his limits of strength of will and of body, Gladio became the strongest warrior Cor had ever trained in his life. Deciding to take Gladio on a road trip to test his newfound skills, Cor eventually found the perfect hunting target for Gladio in the form of a Red Giant. But during such an excursion, after defeating the monster alone (even after Iris angrily rolled up her sleeves to storm off to take out the daemon while Cor held her back, remarking that Gladio needed to do this on his own), Gladio was just dusting himself off to rejoin his party and leave the area when all of a sudden, out of the corner of his hearing was a frustrated grunt. Drawing his sword as he sprinted in the opposite direction of his friends while they called after him before joining him to see what was going on, the tattooed warrior went off to investigate alone. Brushing shrubbery aside so he could create a clear path, Gladio walked a few steps through the woods until he saw a sink hole, where a woman was standing at the bottom as she tried to jump on tippy toes to the top of the entrance only to slip down the dirt wall every time she climbed. Eventually, you had to give up any hope of being rescued as you sunk down to a sitting position, pulling your legs taut to your chest as the night was getting cold and you were without shelter, campfires, or warm clothes. However, Gladio managed to find you just in time as he reached for you, urging you to grab onto the strap of the scabbard of his extra sword as your startled body jumped from its sitting position to stand upright. Staring up at the handsome stranger, you couldn’t believe that he would be helping you when he could make better use of his time doing something else as you called up to him, “I can take care of myself, so you can move along, Buster.”

* “Name’s Gladio, actually, not Buster. And you seem to be a damsel in distress.” Gladio recounted as you struggled to get your footing on the dirt wall, heaving yourself up an inch on every sentence, “I’m a damsel…in distress…Uhh…But I can handle myself, so thanks but no thanks.” Giving him a soft smile as you managed to pull yourself up to the surface, you missed your footing as you collapsed back-first back into the sink hole. Hacking out your lungs as dust laced your lungs and face, Gladio offered his extra sword for you as he smirked with a flirtatious wink, “Come on, a little help never hurt anyone. How else can I be a true hero if I don’t help a capable lady in need?” Tilting your head in confusion as to why he kept insisting on helping you, you smirked at him with hands on your hips as you quipped, “You’re different from most heroes. Many would request gil or something before they would even help me.”

* “Well, this hero works for free.” Gladio winked again as you giggled into your palm before you took the scabbard strap as you lost your footing, colliding with his chest upon being yanked upwards out of the sink hole, causing Gladio to lose his footing too as he fell onto his back in the grass. Roaring lightly with laughter, you and Gladio looked to each other before the man helped you to your feet. Noticing the man’s lack of a shirt and an abundance of abs (aside from black leather pants, black boots, and a black, short-sleeved leather jacket), the multitude of tattoos entranced you while the abs made you blush. Nevertheless, you thanked the man for his help as you introduced yourself as (Name) (Surname) even though you preferred your nickname. Gladio also introduced himself and his friends while you greeted them all warmly. However, Cor didn’t seem to trust you as his icy blues stared into your soul from afar and Iris was cautious but still warm with you. When you tried to leave, Gladio offered for you to stay in his camp. Though you tried to refuse politely, Gladio’s soft grin and his brown eyes with that flash of dark red, even his constant manners with his addressing of you as “Ma’am,” convinced you or otherwise.

* The next morning, before day broke and the rest of the camp awakened, you wrote a note to indicate that you had left and who you were alongside some contact information before sneaking away to the forest. Once inside the shrubbery of trees and the cover of darkness, Caligo met you there as he asked what took you so long, especially since you were supposed to meet him an hour ago. However, when you replied that you were delayed because of a meeting with one Gladiolus Amiticia, Caligo’s expression fell. While you seemed disinterested in Caligo’s plans once he calmed down from his rage at hearing those news, the Niflheim general was very keen on using you in his scheme to take down the newest Amiticia heir once and for all. Urging you to get close to the Lucian soldier and get him to divulge his secrets, Caligo dangled your freedom over your head, especially after you pledged loyalty to Niflheim and to the famous general by becoming his betrothed in order to save your family in Niflheim, who refused to serve the empire during this war against Lucis, only for your family to disown you because you were “serving” Caligo as a “concubine slave.” At that offer, you accepted without refusal.

* Even weeks after you disappeared, Gladio couldn’t get you out of his head. The way you smiled and your sarcastic barbs, it was enticing for him. However, he could never gather up the courage to call or text you because he didn’t want to be a bother, especially not to a capable warrior such as yourself. But when you called him, he was all giddy on his end of the line as you asked if you could rejoin his party since you needed an adventure. Remarking that his next monster hunt would take him and his friends to Duscae, Gladio was overjoyed to hear you would meet him there.

* True to your word, you reunited with Gladio and his friends as you assisted in their monster hunts, saving civilians from daemons for free. Over time, you gained the group’s trust as Iris became a little sister to you and Talcott shared with you his hobby of collecting Cactuar figurines from all over Eos. Even Gladio indulged in his guilty pleasure of Cup Noodles with you, something he wouldn’t normally do around his friends since he had an image to uphold as the good example for those younger than him. However, Cor still had his suspicions since it just seemed too coincidental that you always wanted to be around Gladio. But the hardened soldier kept you at arm’s length with his icy blues always staring into your soul, only responding to you in three words or less whenever you interacted.

* The more time you spent with Gladio, the more fond you grew of him and his company. Eventually, you opened up to Gladio about your life and how your parents repayed you by disowning you for serving the emperor and one of its generals in order to save their lives while he opened up to you, saying that a Niflheim general stole his powers and his confidence as a Shield of the King. Saddened by your stories, you and Gladio eventually fell in love. After revealing your feelings for Gladio during a nighttime date in Lestallum, where he kissed you on the lips in gratitude and reciprocation for your love, you knew right then and there what you were about to do. You would NEVER betray Gladio or his friends.

* However, Cor was digging through your things while you were out on the date and noticed a letter from Caligo to you. Eyes seething with rage, he decided to confront you once you got back as he pushed the document in your face. At once, you confessed everything to Cor but you promised him on your life and your honor that you weren’t going back to Niflheim and that you would never betray Gladio, Cor, or the others. You claimed that your love for Gladio outweighed your loyalty to Niflheim, and believing your words, Cor promised that he wouldn’t reveal that he knew your secret so long as you told the others. Immediately the next morning, you told everyone the truth and awaited the rejection. However, your friendships towards them were genuine as the journey dragged on even though they started out as fake, and they enjoyed having you around, so they agreed to let you stay as one of their party members. Even Gladio didn’t seem fazed by this revelation as he remarked that he still loved you and wouldn’t abandon you for doing what you had to in order to protect your loved ones. For the first time in years, you finally had a family and you weren’t going to let them go anytime soon because you were willing to do anything to protect them from Caligo and his wrath.

* Seeing that you betrayed him, Caligo came for you as he engaged Gladio in battle once more, vowing to end the Amiticia line by destroying their newest heir and destroy Lucis by ridding the kingdom of their strongest soldier. Fending off dispatched daemons and Imperial guards left and right with your spear, you noticed Gladio was being pummeled by an automaton as it shot rockets towards the Lucian. However, even still, he kept fighting on as he outmaneuvered the machine by getting up underneath it, slamming his sword against them before the machine crashed towards him. Before the impact could come, you shoved Gladio out of the way as he rolled along the ground while you braced for the worst. Shaking himself off from the shock and the whiplash of the rolling, Gladio recovered swiftly as he noticed you crushed under the weight of the magitek machinery, causing him to holler your name before he rushed to you. Lifting the machine with all his might, Gladio’s teeth grit in his mouth as his knees bent with every heave upwards with the metal, his powers struggling to come back to him on every rise and fall of the object in his hands. Lifting the robot over his head as he threw it away from you, Gladio collapsed to his knees beside you before he smashed a potion in his hand and sprinkled the magic onto you, healing your wounds as you grunted brokenly. Cradling you in his biceps as he pulled you to his chest, Gladio’s eyes filled with tears as he asked you, “Why the heck would you do that?! Are you crazy? You couldn’t been killed!”

* Cupping Gladio’s cheek in your hand, you smirked with a chuckle under your breath before you remarked, “I love you…Haven’t you ever heard that people often take big leaps of faith for those they love?” With a winced grunt as Iris, Talcott, and Cor rejoined Gladio’s side to tend to you, you begged Gladio to stop Caligo’s plot to attack the Lucian palace, giving him insight to the plot since you had firsthand knowledge of it. Promising to look after you on the soldier’s behalf, Gladio vowed to defend Lucis at all costs before he promised to come back to your side. Giving him a smile and a kiss for good luck, Iris and Talcott reclined you against them while they wrapped your broken ribs properly.

* Upon request from Gladio to take the Trials of Gilgamesh in order to regain his full power so he could save you and Lucis, Cor took him to the Tempered Grounds. Wishing Gladio luck since he couldn’t accompany the man inside, the larger man hugged his mentor around the shoulders, thanking him for everything that led to this moment. Embracing Gladio back, Cor urged the man to try his best and be the true hero he knew the younger man could be. After the first few trials of battling ferocious daemons and undead soldiers who were famous for their bravery in battle, gaining their power from his victories as some of his were restored, Gladio finally met Gilgamesh on the battlefield. Drawing weapons as they stared into each other’s eyes, Gilgamesh taunted the man with a monotone tone in his deep pitch, “Are you so ready to die, young warrior? Or do you have what it takes to uphold the mantle of Shield of the King?”

* “Yes, I can handle anything. I’ll protect (Name) and Lucis, no matter what. Bring it on!” Gladio responded before he and Gilgamesh charged for each other, launching their swords forward as they locked in combat. Slash upon slash, Gladio and Gilgamesh were equally matched throughout the whole scuffle. Even though Gladio sustained a cut to the forehead, he managed to overpower Gilgamesh with pure strength of will as his thoughts were only of you. Surprised by these actions, Gilgamesh bowed to Gladio as he stabbed his sword into the dirt and lowered his head, “I have battled many warriors, all claiming to be a true hero…But I have never met a truer hero than you and the one who managed to rid me of my arm some thirty years prior. Any king would be honored to have you as a Shield, for a true hero is determined not just by the strength of their sword, but by the strength of the will and their heart.” Bequeathing his sword to Gladio, Gilgamesh imparted his knowledge and power to the younger man as Gladio took it whole-heartily, thanking the swordsman with a bow. With all his powers restored to him, Gladio departed the Tempered Grounds with Cor, who was satisfied that his student had proven him and Gilgamesh wrong.

* Confronting Caligo in Niflheim, Cor and Gladio took him down together as they engaged in battle. Only this time, Gladio snapped the general’s sword in half as he possessed every skill he had ever been taught, learning from his mistakes in real-time as he outmaneuvered every trick Caligo set up for him that he would’ve normally fallen for as a child.

* With your captor finally vanquished by means of death and the empire in disarray, Gladio and Cor returned to you as Talcott and Iris tended to you. Even with the dull pain of broken ribs, you ran to Gladio as you jumped into his arms, legs encircling his waist and your arms snaking around his neck to tangle in his long hair. Burying his face in your neck while his biceps cradled your body into his chest, Gladio couldn’t help but kiss you back as you declared your love for each other. After a small recuperation to allow your wounds to heal, you and the others returned to Lucis. Reunited with friends and family after his journey to find himself, Gladio took his mantle as Shield and vowed to guard Prince Noctis forevermore. More importantly, Gladio publicly announced his engagement to you as the marriage was blessed by his loved ones, especially his father.

* Since becoming wife to the Shield of the King, your life became filled with love you had only dreamt was possible for you. Gladio was a constant presence that brought comfort and chivalry wherever he went, as his heroism never ceased during his marriage to you. Becoming a knight yourself in order to serve Lucis and be closer to Gladio, you were renowned for your skill with a spear and your kindness towards civilians, especially children. Overall, Gladio was the best husband you could ask for and as you moved into the Amiticia household, you were greeted with even more love and tender affection from Clarus and Iris, even the Hester family. A true hero was what Gladio became over the years, but he wouldn’t have found his true belonging and purpose, until he met you and had you change his life forever.


End file.
